IP strategy for an Indigenous art business
The brand: G Country
G Country represents G Ceramics and other products made by Indigenous Australians. It was set up by Indigenous entrepreneurs Andrew Hegadus and Robyn Bryant, with backing from Sydney businessman Ian Plater.
Response to the craftsmanship of the products and the G Country logo has been positive. 'Everybody loves the logo and the product', Robyn says. 'It's distinctive, it has the colours in it, the boomerangs and it's important to the artists, which gives it that additional Indigenous ownership.'
The company has established its first retail outlet, G Company Art Gallery and Emporium, in Ulmarra, north of Grafton in New South Wales.
The strategy: trade mark and prepare for expansion
The G Country logo trade mark is in the process of being registered through prominent Indigenous cultural and intellectual property rights lawyer Terri Janke.
The company plans to eventually distribute worldwide through an online store. 'No doubt I will be asking my IP legal adviser about international protection before we start distributing worldwide', notes Robyn.
The directors are also looking into the prospect of franchising the business:
'We're looking at having a franchise - we're developing a whole system that can be imported into other Indigenous places; so once we have a system put into place, we'll have a protected brand; it's recognisable and it’s promoting quality Indigenous products and uniqueness.'Artists' IP
Robyn Bryant stresses the need for artists to recognise the importance of protecting their IP: 'Artists need to be made aware of the business side of the products they are creating, which includes protecting your intellectual property.'
He also believes that IP firms like Terri Janke's, which provide workshops and seminars for their Indigenous clients, play an important role in promoting awareness of IP issues among artists.
Last Updated: 13/12/2012
