This month saw the launch of a new service for the industry called Creative Barcode, and what a simple and excellent idea it is. It’s so simple you’ll wonder ‘why hasn’t anyone come up with this before’. We think this is so fantastic we had to write about it – a simple affordable service for creatives, designers, inventors, scientists, engineers, artists, design-led thinkers and originators alike.
So here is the low-down; ideas, patents and trademarks are only worth something if you have the money to protect them. Protecting your ideas and the generation of IP is a very complex and expensive process. It’s a minefield of classifications, wording, semantics, views and opinions – which often comes down to one person’s word against another.
Creative Barcode acknowledges this and provides a much easier and affordable model of protection by way of a contract.
Once your account has been set up concepts, designs, ideas, proposals and tenders watermarked with a unique identifier can be sent through the system to the intended recipient. The recipient then receives a link to a download of the file from the Creative Barcode website where they agree to terms and conditions prior to download. This sets up a binding contract between sender and recipient.
And why is this so great? It means that the recipient cannot act on the content supplied without coming back to discuss it with the originator first as outlined in the terms. The trick here is that a breach of contract is both easier and cheaper to prove than the theft of IP/ideas. Once a breach has been identified, any damages arising from the breach can then be considered.
Creative Barcode provides proof of contract by keeping a record of all those you give access to and who download the files. If files are shared offline it acts as a deterrent by having a clearly branded mark and unique trackable number embedded/printed on the file.
This is a fantastic service and has so many applications, but most importantly it is an affordable answer to a long-standing issue for both creative individuals and companies alike in the protection of the circulation of their ideas.
It doesn’t solve everything but it is a great start. Registration costs £195 creating your account and your first 5 barcodes, and additional barcodes can be bought for around £9 each.
We think that this one of the most significant industry developments in a long time, especially given the growth in open innovation and ideas sharing forums and platforms. If you think this is a great idea and believe in upholding the value of creativity then please also sign-up to the Trust Charter on the Creative Barcode website by clicking here. You won’t be alone, with names like Rodney Fitch already leading the way.
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