A Hong Kong pet-themed clothing brand with design as its selling point applied for trademark registration with the assistance of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council's (HKTDC) Transformation Sandbox (T-box) business support programme.
OH YOU MADE MY DAY was founded in 2021 by Elvis Kwok, who had a keen interest in ink painting since childhood and was skilled at depicting every detail of life with a brush. Initially, the brand provided customised ink paintings and designed a variety of lifestyle products, such as pet t-shirts. He used a calligraphic poetry and painting technique to present the stories of pets and their owners.
The brand has since been transformed into a clothing store, positioning itself as a Hong Kong pet-based clothing brand and injecting the theme of bespoke pets illustration and playful clothing design.
Success is built on creativity, highlighting the importance of protecting IP. Hong Kong's comprehensive legal system and robust IP infrastructure make the city the ideal hub for protection of IP rights.
Mr Kwok said the team at T-box offered the brand extensive help in its transformation process. In addition to product design, he had acquired a lot of practical knowledge related to IP and trademarks.
He had previously tried to trademark a brand using a company name, but the Registrar's Office had turned the application down. The T-box team recommended Mr Kwok use the IP consultation service that the Federation of Hong Kong Industries (FHKI) provides free-of-charge. The professional consultant recommended that the brand apply for trademark registration, so Mr Kwok plans to submit another application for registered trademark this year.
The T-box team also recommended Mr Kwok make use of HKTDC exhibitions, workshops and other services to help the brand enhance its visibility.
Mr Kwok said that the brand joined the HKTDC Hong Kong Sports and Leisure Expo last year. He met many potential consumers and gained a better understanding of customer preferences, which helped the brand improve product design and strengthened its confidence in participating in other similar exhibitions.
Respondents to a MOCITY - My Favorite Pet Brand Award 2023 survey voted OH YOU MADE MY DAY as a winning brand in the toys, clothing and accessories category. The brand is considering participating in more exhibitions to increase brand exposure and seek more business opportunities, such as the HKTDC's DesignInspire.
The brand benefited significantly from participating in e-commerce-related workshops organised by T-box. The Amazon workshop provided the company with practical information and in-depth explanations on how to enter markets overseas. It also shared how to effectively promote through e-commerce, greatly helping shape the brand's plan to move into overseas markets. Additionally, the Bytedance workshop also helped the brand better understand e-commerce marketing globally and within Mainland China, helping them choose a suitable platform.
Mr Kwok find this information useful when he begins to expand beyond Hong Kong.
The brand planned to introduce a Hong Kong travel blog on social media through the eyes of a cat lover visiting the city. It also planned to design cat-lover tourist attraction t-shirts and cultural t-shirts to coordinate with cultural tours to promote the local cat economy and stray cat conservation awareness.
In addition to pursuing opportunities in the Hong Kong market, Mr Kwok has long-term aspirations to venture into overseas markets. Accordingly, he has planned to attend an exhibition in Taiwan this April. To aid this expansion, T-box team has introduced him to various government funding schemes, including the SME Marketing Fund for consideration. Mr Kwok is well-aware of, and appreciative for, the T-box team's efforts in providing crucial funding information, which is designed to facilitate SMEs' in their expansion into overseas markets.