The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade, through the Intellectual Property Office, has urged artists and creatives to monetise their trademarks by registering catchphrases with commercial potential.
This comes after the viral comedy series “Lugodvo Kimi”, created by comedians Gogo Eswatini and S’lwane, rapidly became one of the most popular phrases and social media phenomena in Eswatini and beyond.
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The trend has exploded on platforms like TikTok, where millions of posts tagged with “Lugodvo Kimi” and related challenges have gone viral, showcasing widespread engagement and creativity.
Prominent figures, including marriage therapist Pastor Bakhe Dlamini, as well as local and international content creators, have joined the challenge, further boosting its popularity.
Major organisations such as The Clinic Group, Eswatini Air, Eswatini Mobile, and the Eswatini Tourism Authority have also embraced the trend, creating content inspired by the catchphrase and amplifying its reach beyond social media.
IMPORTANCE OF TRADEMARK PROTECTION
Registrar of the Intellectual Property Office, Dr Celucolo Dludlu, highlighted the importance of protecting catchphrases through trademark registration.
He explained that once a phrase is identified as having commercial value, individuals should promptly apply for trademark protection.
“The protection officially begins on the date of application submission, although the full legal process takes time. After about three months and completion of the procedures, full protection is granted,” he said.
Dr Dludlu noted that although trademarks are intangible assets, they are increasingly recognised as valuable property, just like company names, which cannot be duplicated.
CASHING IN ON CREATIVITY
He further advised artists and creatives to develop strategies to extract value from their trademarks by partnering with businesses.
“Collaboration with the corporate world is key to monetising the trademark effectively,” Dr Dludlu emphasised.
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