A brand is an intangible asset to a company and a concept that assists individuals in identifying various entities. In simple words, it may include a logo, name, color, slogan, or icon. Each company has a brand name that helps them create a perception about its service or product. While it can allow organizations to outshine their competitors, it can also result in malicious attacks.
Surveys suggest 85% of brands in today's 21st-century era experienced trademark infringement. Now, what do you mean by trademark infringement? This post outlines the ins and outs of ad fraud detection and protection that hamper your brand identity.
An Overview of Brand or Trademark Infringement
Trademarks are recognizable designs, combinations, or words. They identify a unique product, service, or brand. They are the intellectual properties distinguishing products and brands from competitors. Whether a logo, design or phrase, trademarks allow individuals to identify organizations & their unique services/products.
And the act of using a company or brand's IP to attract leads is brand or trademark infringement. Infringement is a common strategy to defraud brands. Nefarious affiliates make use of a brand's trademarked property, such as logo, name, and slogans, to generate traffic.
When a threat actor uses a brand name, it hits the company's reputation and identity. So, it misleads loyal customers and prospects.
Brand infringement is the unauthorized or illegal use of a company's patent, trademarked, or copyrighted material. Since the dawn of online marketing, malicious actors have used it to attract customers. They intend to infringe on a brand's trademarks, intellectual properties, and copyrights.
What Are The Types of Brand or Trademark Infringement?
With digitalization, conventional marketing methodologies have witnessed a sea change. Today, technological advancements allow brands to connect to their audience in a digitized fashion. Malicious actors use this digital space to steal a brand's IP and other copyrights.
The prime intention of infringement is to steal money from advertisers. They also use the brand's personal information from loyal customers in several ways. Here's how they exploit a trustworthy brand's image.
- Domain Spoofing
Mistyping a domain name is quite common among users. And fraudsters take advantage of it in the form of domain spoofing. Malicious actors buy misspelled domain names and register them to mimic legitimate sources. They steal users' credentials and make illegal use of them.
- Session Hijacking
Also referred to as cookie hijacking, this form of attack is common these days. Here, threat actors distribute adware via web browser extensions &applications. After stealing and modifying cookies, they control someone's session.
- Social Media Attacks
Nefarious actors use social media accounts to interact with consumers. By impersonating businesses, they make legitimate posts. Such attacks may lead to reputational damage.
- Phishing Attacks
Another way how threat actors steal a brand's IP and other assets is via phishing attacks. They find the private details of customers and use them. This only hampers the business's reputation and leads to losing loyal customers.
Consequences of Brand Infringement: Why Prevent Solutions Are Vital?
Achieving brand identity is challenging. But more challenging is your struggles to maintain a digital reputation. Fraudsters can take advantage of your brand's assets without effective brand protection solutions. In such cases, you may experience the following consequences.
- Stolen Intellectual Properties
A brand's IPs are legally-owned assets. They are copyrights, trademarks, and patents. Calling them the backbone of your organization is not an exaggeration. Without effective prevention solutions, a company can lose its intellectual property.
- Lost Goodwill
Each brand has its own USPs, characteristics, and uniqueness. Such elements allow a company to outshine its competitors, thereby earning goodwill. If malicious actors steal products & private information, customers will simply shift to a competitor. It results in losing organizational revenues.
- Reputational Damage
A solid brand reputation helps you increase your customer base with loyalty and credibility. But a negative brand reputation will only impact your bottom line drastically. Fraudsters make use of your assets and steal users' private information.
So, loyal clients decide to avoid buying services or products from your company. They start to associate your brand with a lack of credibility.
Mitigate the Risks of Brand Infringement with Brand Protection Solutions from VPT
World's most prominent brands consult VPT for brand prevention solutions. If you think your brand is in danger, now is the right time to consult the associates at Virus Positive Technologies. A pioneer in this industry, VPT helps you eliminate invasive promotions, prevent your digital client's journey, and recover ad revenues.
The company has dedicated monitoring tools and technologies that secure your reputation in the digital space. Enable business authentication and safeguard your brand from potential risks and threats. VPT's ad fraud professionals can assist you in eliminating brand-damaging impacts. Leverage affiliate fraud prevention solutions with VPT by scheduling an appointment today.