Amazon sellers’ guide to trademark registration process and brand video production

Branding on the Amazon platform not only relies on the product itself, but also the registration of trademarks and the production of brand videos. The following are specific steps and suggestions for trademark registration and brand video production.

Trademark registration

The process of trademark registration is relatively simple, but before starting, sellers need to ensure that all information is fully prepared. This includes the company’s business license, legal person’s identity information, trademark name, logo, registration category, products involved in the brand, packaging and related product links, etc. Once these materials are ready, sellers can choose to register by themselves at the trademark office in the target market, such as the UPTO in the United States, or seek professional agency registration services.

The typical trademark application process usually involves receiving a notice of acceptance within 1 to 2 weeks, while the time to obtain a trademark certificate is 8 to 12 months. This process may seem lengthy for sellers, so Amazon has made some adjustments to its online policies regarding the need for brand registration. Nowadays, sellers with TM trademarks or R trademarks can register their brands. This means that even if a trademark certificate has not yet been obtained, the acceptance notice obtained within 2 weeks can be used as the basis for filing, allowing sellers to enjoy brand rights faster.

It is worth noting that there are differences in the registration functions between the TM mark and the R mark. Although the TM mark supports brand protection, some functions and permissions are missing; while the R mark provides comprehensive brand protection. In addition, countries supported by this policy include the United States, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Spain, France, the Netherlands, Japan, Australia, the United Arab Emirates, India, Singapore, Sweden and Saudi Arabia.

Brand video production

During the trademark application and registration period, sellers can also start preparing for the production of brand videos. Amazon does not have many restrictions on the production of brand videos. The basic requirements are to maintain clear image quality and avoid exposing any off-site logos and link information. Therefore, it is recommended that sellers make at least one video and upload it to the listing page to enrich product display.

For small and medium-sized sellers with relatively insufficient team personnel, it may not be cost-effective to conduct large-scale professional photography. Relatively speaking, if the seller already has a photography team, they can better perform video shooting. Generally speaking, the length of brand videos should be controlled within 60 to 90 seconds, and the content should include the following aspects:

• Brand opening
• Product unboxing (unpacking)
• 4 to 6 product shots with text explanations (such as product purpose, usage, unique functions and usage scenarios)
• Brand ending

In the post-processing of the video, sellers can refer to materials from some video websites for editing to ensure the professionalism and smoothness of the video.

Combining effective strategies for trademark registration and brand video production, sellers can better gain a foothold in the highly competitive Amazon market and enhance brand influence.