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1:00 am, March 3, 2008
City brand unprotected in Thailand

By Michael Fahy

Thaksin Shinawatra this week spoke of turning Manchester City into a global force, but a search of trademark records shows that the club does not have protection for its brand in a number of key markets, including the club owner's home country.

Shinawatra returned to Thailand this week following an 18-month exile after he was ousted as Prime Minister by a military coup.

He went on Thai television promising a global push to promote City as a brand. “There will be Man City China, Man City Japan, Man City US,” he said. “In the next season, Man City will be another Man United.”But a search of trademark applications and registrations in Thailand carried out two weeks ago drew a blank, as did a similar search for the United States. Even in Europe, the club only had 12 trademarks registered for use in the UK, compared with 72 by rivals Manchester United.

By contrast, Manchester United submitted its first trademark application in Thailand back in 1993, and has subsequently submitted a further ten applications. The list of goods it has submitted applications for globally is huge, and covers everything from replica kits to bin bags, animal collars, football schools, piccalilli and edible birds' nests.

Bruce Marsh, a Manchester-based intellectual property specialist from patent attorney Wilson Gunn, said that Manchester' City's lack of international protection for its brand appeared to be “an oversight”.

He argued that if the club wished to build an international presence it should “start with the basics of protecting its intellectual property rights”. Marsh said the club faced potential loss of revenues because it could struggle to prevent widespread overseas infringement of its rights and because it doesn't have the structures in place to licence goods either in the USA or the Far East.

“Even under its previous ownership as a public company very little had been done and it seems the new owners haven't learned,” he said.

A spokesman for Manchester City said the club had already registered trademarks in The Peoples Republic of China and had just agreed the scope of terms with its trademark lawyers which will now allow it to submit an application in Thailand with other countries to follow.

The spokesman added: “This process is being handled by our trademark lawyers, Baker and McKenzie, through their offices in London and their offices overseas.

“As I am sure you will appreciate, this is a complicated process and does take time to resolve.”