The creative industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world today, and in Africa in particular. Thanks to the internet, many young people’s minds and horizons have been broadened and they have been trying out their hands in many creative areas and getting quite the exposure from it; painting, singing, content writing, graphic arts, music producing, interior design, and new ways of doing old disciplines like architecture and product design.
Just look at how many ‘fashion designers’ have emerged on our digital landscape over the last five years. You have a myriad of them. Those who are naturally gifted and have always had an innate ability and desire to work in fashion, and those for whom it is just part of the vibe of being a Facebook entrepreneur and basking in the sun of the ‘CEO’ label that we throw around to just about any Nji, Nde, or Fru (for lack of a Tom, Dick and Harry). . In any case, as things stand we have a rise of people working in the creative industry and this will only continue to grow; the result of a lack of industrialisation and the increased penetration and usage of the internet.
The thing about the creative industry, however, is that the driving force behind the industry is ideas; the fruits of the mind, so to speak. A lot of what is a dress is first of all the idea that someone conceived in his/her mind before it became a party gown. A lot of what becomes a hit song is first of all the idea of a melody that someone conceived in their mind before hitting the notes on a piano or clicking them on Fruityloops.
Which brings me to the question; HOW MANY OF US ARE THINKING ABOUT PROTECTING THOSE IDEAS?
And that is where intellectual property comes into play. Your ideas are only as good as yours when you take the time to protect them via copyright or a trademark. I’ve noticed many music videos where at the end of the video you see people insert the ©, indicating that the piece of artwork has been copyrighted when actually they do not own any such copyright to their own work. Same goes with the ™ used to designate a trademark when in actual fact, the person does not own any such trademark.
As we advance and the creativity industry grows and eventually matures it won’t be long before we start hearing that so and so person stole so-and-so beat. As a matter of fact, we have already such stories already.
But when push comes to shove and things have to take a legal turn, it becomes difficult to get any kind of compensation out of the whole brouhaha.
As far as trademarks go, you can trademark a certain name that isn’t even yours. You can be in a room with friends and they are discussing a certain project and they choose a name that really really sounds fine. If you file a demand for the ownership of the name and your friend comes 2 minutes later and files the same demand, yours only will be taken into account because as far as trademarks go, in Cameroon, the first to file gets the trademark. It’s crazy but so goes the law.
Copyrighting and trademarking is certainly not cheap. For a young musician, that money is better channelled into studio time. For the young fashion designer, that money is better channelled into buying sewing machines. However, you should always have it at the back of your mind that protecting the fruit of your mind is an investment in itself; in your business and your brand. And that when you are able to afford to do it, then you should definitely do so
Wandji Wilfred.
Image: Unsplash
#TrueMusicChallenge.