Consumer Lens - Session 2 | Protecting Brand Prestige: IP Rights and Distribution Governance

Brands today face increasing challenges in protecting their reputation, value and distinctiveness across a growing range of sales channels, digital platforms and AI-driven consumer touchpoints. As consumer purchasing journeys become more fragmented, businesses must balance brand protection with legal compliance, commercial flexibility and evolving technology.

In this session, our cross-border specialists from the UK, France and Germany explored how intellectual property rights, selective distribution strategies and contractual protections can be used together to safeguard brand prestige. The discussion also examined emerging risks associated with online marketplaces, influencer relationships and AI-generated content, and considered practical steps businesses can take to strengthen brand governance and enforcement strategies.

Key takeaways

Key insights from the session included:

• protecting the full brand experience requires a combination of trademarks, design rights, copyright and other IP protections
• selective distribution remains a powerful tool for controlling who sells products, how they are presented and where they are sold
• strong contractual frameworks help protect brand value across distributor, influencer, and brand partner relationships
• AI is changing how consumers discover and engage with brands, making effective monitoring and risk management increasingly important
• protecting brand prestige requires close coordination across legal, commercial and compliance teams, with proactive governance often proving more effective than reactive action

About the Consumer Lens series

Consumer Lens brings together legal and industry insights on the issues that matter most to consumer businesses. Through a series of global webinars, we explore emerging risks, regulatory developments and strategic challenges across the sector.

Upcoming sessions will continue to examine the trends reshaping consumer markets and provide practical guidance for businesses operating in an increasingly complex environment.

To request a copy of the webinar recording or discuss any of the topics covered, please contact consumer@eversheds-sutherland.com.