ERIA, Cambodia’s Ministry of Commerce, and Japan Patent Office Hand Over Branding Strategies Project in Cambodia

Phnom Penh, 26 July 2024: ERIA is pleased to report the successful completion of the branding strategies project in Cambodia, which coincided with the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation with the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) and the Japan Patent Office (JPO) on 30 March 2023, in Phnom Penh. On 26 July 2024, at the Fairfield by Marriott Phnom Penh, the deliverables which included the research findings from ERIA were given to the Department of Intellectual Property (DIP) of MOC Cambodia.

The handover of ERIA's research findings was conducted by Toru Furuichi, Chief Operating Officer of ERIA, who handed them to Her Excellency So Sreymech, Secretary of State of MOC. The ceremony was witnessed by Sachiyo Yoshino, Director of the International Cooperation Division Policy Planning and Coordination Department at JPO; Asagi Miyoshi, Counsellor from the Japanese Embassy in Cambodia; and excellencies from MOC. The final report and branding strategy brochures, which were created from research and interviews with 30 Cambodian companies and entrepreneurs, focus on trademarks and geographical indications.

Following the handover, a seminar on intellectual property rights with a focus on branding strategies was held. There were 114 attendees, including students, academics, and local business owners. The seminar began with a keynote speech by Dr Yasuaki Naito, Director of the Intellectual Property Department at JETRO Thailand. This was followed by a presentation from Yugo Nagata, Lawyer and Partner (Regional - Cambodia) of TMI Associates, who explored the branding project in Cambodia from both legal and business perspectives. To Rith, Deputy Director of the DIP, provided insights on trademark protection in Cambodia. Afterwards, Sou Phulkhampheak, Chief Officer of the DIP, introduced a new DIP services app and website designed to simplify trademark searches, NICE Classification, and the monitoring of trademark registration and application status. Finally, Takio Fukumoto, Senior Manager for Legal and Intellectual Property at Asian Honda Motor Co. Ltd. in Thailand, outlined the value of trademarks for maintaining reputation and quality and discussed the importance of marketing and branding strategies for the sustainability of businesses and their products. He also shared his insights on how to deal with trademark infringements.

A panel discussion led by Yugo Nagata with Rowell Suba Santiago from Nham2 and Jones Joshua Allen from Three Corner Coffee as panellists, brought the event to a close. Both businesses, which are well known in Cambodia for their unique branding, boost the regional economy by hiring people from the area for their services and production. To compete with well-known global brands, they have also set themselves apart from other businesses by highlighting their own local character and brand. The discussion was engaging and concluded with a Q&A session from the participants.

In conclusion, this event signifies the successful fulfilment of the Memorandum of Cooperation, and ERIA is eager to continue its collaboration with the JPO and the Cambodian government on intellectual property rights. The Secretary of State for the Ministry of Commerce, H.E. So Sreymech, outlined three key goals for intellectual property in Cambodia: 1) strengthening institutions and systems; 2) identifying practical business uses and benefits; and 3) promoting public awareness and encouraging entrepreneurs to leverage branding. ERIA hopes that the outcomes of this project will help achieve these goals and promote intellectual property rights growth in Cambodia.