Frank
If there was ever a bit of invaluable information that you’ve been offered - take it and run with it!!!
I met Frank when I had a permanent casual pitch at Portobello Road Market- he took a photo of me clutching my four street signs that were at the time, I ❤️ CARNEEVAAL - Rice & Peas & Tings - Curry Goat Alley and Jerk Chicken Central. The concept was new, but I recognised there was a gap in the market, no mention of anything Caribbean that could be bought as memorabilia and this would be my angle.
Well by this point, it was just these four pine boards and a handful of handmade greeting cards. Off I went and came back with four more different designs, this time rectangular boards, but featuring the Royal Borough Of Carnival with Wotless Street, We On De Road, Ladbroke Grove & Portobello Road, with either postcodes of W10 or W11.Frank saw these and here are the golden nuggets he mentioned “Register your work - I know it’s expensive, but I’ve seen this happen to people many times” - talking about your ideas are kinda purloined by others and sold as their own.
In my head, I’m thinking, I only came to sell my handmade cards which developed in to selling street signs. The registration belongs to the big firms, not for the likes of me. And, where was I truly going to start with this. Ok, I answered, knowing full well this wasn’t something I was going to follow-up in a hurry!!
So for the next few weeks, I began to avoid eye contact with Frank or circumvent a different route, but Frank caught me one evening as I was going to fetch my car. “Have you registered your work yet?” like an animal stuck in headlights, I stammered and said I was looking at it.
My stomach lurched and I thought I was about to throw-up there and then. If a mega phone had been strapped to my head communicating my thoughts, everyone would have heard me saying - Pauline, this guy is offering you invaluable advice - don’t look a gift horse in the mouth!
British Library
I started my research and found the British Library were hosting classes on Intellectual Property - I booked myself on a workshop and felt relieved. The day of the course, I arrived at Kings Cross station and it was a long stroll through the tunnel. I mention this, because of my peripheral neuropathy in my toes at that moment, straddled down with a couple of my boards, the walk through the tunnel was a chore.
By the time I was in the tunnel, the workshop had already started, but my feet could not go any faster, I arrived slightly annoyed with myself, but hey that’s life! If you have peripheral neuropathy, you’ll know the slapping sound your feet make and you have to go with the flow!
Once in the workshop, it was obvious the folks in the room had £million concepts and from what I gathered, I already had products that I was selling, but not in the category of a million pound concept!
I was so embarrassed about it, I waited until the workshop was over and it was just myself and the presenter in the room before I showed her my items. Her poker face was incredible and I was beginning to think I had wasted my time!
The presenter gave me the numbers of two law firms specialising in Intellectual Property and there was an urgency in her voice I picked up, that this is something sooner rather than later I should action. Ok, now I’m back in the reception area of the British Library making a call to one of the law firms and booking an appointment. I decided to use the law firm based at the Design Centre in Islington.
The Law Firm
Again, the morning of my appointment, the walk from Islington tube station, the escalators, stairs and the final walk to the Business Design Centre was a task. Who makes this up, it took longer than five minutes to get to the escalators!!
The solicitor from the Law Firm was brilliant, still felt out of my depth and a Novice when conversing with them. Just the fact, my ideas were taking on a different angle, seriously, this was not meant to be and most of all I was applying to have the wording “Royal” added to my artwork. I couldn’t make this up!
The initial applications for the I ❤️ CARNEEVAAL®️and Royal Borough of Carnival®️ were made - where was I going with this! Still out of my depth, especially when it came to talking about the different Classes I could apply for each registration. - don’t ask!!
But the long and short of this is blog is - my two registered designs
Royal Borough Of Carnival®️ and I ❤️ CARNEEVAAL®️ were as a result of Frank advising me to register my work. I could never think in my life this would happen and it is a BIG thanks to Frank.