Seminar by Unius Partners Masanori Haruna and Katsushi Ishikawa on Subject of Case Studies Illustrating Strategic Use of Intellectual Property in Development of Functional Food Products Held in Tokyo on 22 November 2018 (Organized by Tech-Design Inc.)

On 22 November 2018 (Thu), we gave a seminar in Tokyo on the subject of Case Studies Illustrating How To Make Strategic Use of Intellectual Property in Development of Functional Food Products. The seminar was divided into two parts. Part I, entitled Branding Strategies and Effective Use of Trademarks and Designs for Food Product Manufacturers, was presented by Unius Partner Katsushi Ishikawa. Part II, entitled Case Studies Illustrating Key Concepts in Patent Strategies for Functional Food Products, was presented by Unius Partner Masanori Haruna. Details follow below.

• Seminar organized by: Tech-Design Inc.
• Seminar title: Case Studies Illustrating Strategic Use of Intellectual Property in Development of Functional Food Products

Part I: Branding Strategies and Effective Use of Trademarks and Designs for Food Product Manufacturers
Part II: Case Studies Illustrating Key Concepts in Patent Strategies for Functional Food Products

• Presentations by: Japanese Patent Attorney Masanori Haruna and Japanese Patent Attorney Katsushi Ishikawa
• Date and time: 22 November 2018 (Thursday) 13:00 – 17:15
• Location: Conference Room, Reference Nishi-Shinjuku Daikyo Bldg 2nd Floor (Nishi-Shinjuku, Tokyo)
• Overview:
  In the four short years since creation of the legal framework making it possible to obtain IP protection in Japan for functional food products, there have already been more than 1,300 items registered, which, together with the preexisting category of foods for specified health uses, has had a major impact on Japan’s health food industry. While functional food products have benefited from the newfound ability to make use of previously inaccessible marketing strategies focused on mental sharpness, beauty, and so forth in addition to the more conventional marketing strategies that had been the sole purview of foods for specified health uses, the rapid increase in the number of products on the market has brought with it a tendency toward commoditization of certain functionalities, making product differentiation increasingly difficult.

  While market participants have expended much brainpower in the search for intellectual property strategies and marketing approaches that might allow them to differentiate their products from those of their competitors, due to the sheer number of products on the market it has not been an easy task to gain a comprehensive view of the many IP strategies employed by the various market participants; indeed, as busy as we all are with the everyday pressures of the workplace, who can find the time to properly conduct such a wide-ranging market analysis?

  The speakers at this event have since 2017 been engaged in just such an ongoing project to research, analyze, and report on the product differentiation of functional food products and other health foods, as well as the strategic use of patents, trademarks, and designs that has made such product differentiation possible.

  Attendees of the present seminar will be able in one day to gain a comprehensive overview of the marketing and branding strategies employed in the Japanese health food industry, as well as an understanding of the role played by intellectual property in supporting those marketing and branding strategies through selective use of patents, designs, and trademarks, the goal of the present seminar being to provide attendees with knowledge that they can immediately apply to their company’s products.

• How to register for event: Please click on https://tech-d.jp/pdf/pdf_3670.pdf for further information (in Japanese) regarding the seminar, including how to register to attend (note that registration is closed).