On April 26, we celebrate World Intellectual Property Day. The theme chosen by WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) for 2025 is "IP and Music: Feel the Rhythm of IP," which aims to highlight the contribution of Intellectual Property to innovation and creativity in music.
According to WIPO: “World Intellectual Property Day 2025 highlights how creativity and innovation, supported by IP rights, contribute to maintaining a dynamic, diverse, and thriving music scene that benefits everyone, everywhere.”
This theme is highly relevant to the music market in Brazil, which, in addition to having a rich musical diversity and being a reference in several fields such as bossa nova, heavy metal, and electronic music, is among the top 10 music-consuming countries in the world. This makes the Brazilian audience extremely important for streaming platforms and the shows music industry.
Brazilian fans, known for their strong presence on social media, generate significant audience engagement and have the power to boost artists’ careers. Artists like American singer Billie Eilish and Canadian singer Tate McRae have publicly acknowledged that their first online fan clubs were created by Brazilian fans.
Moreover, considering that successful artists like Adele, Shawn Mendes, and Justin Bieber started their careers in a rather DIY fashion by posting videos online, WIPO’s chosen theme for World Intellectual Property Day 2025 is incredibly relevant.
To mention a Brazilian artist as an example, we have the singer and songwriter Jão. The Brazilian phenomenon, whose 2024 tour sold out stadiums and arenas across Brazil and sold out Allianz Parque Stadium for three consecutive nights, built his career with the direct interaction and collaboration of his fans.
While his creativity, emotional depth in songwriting, and strong identity and connection with fans have driven his success, Jão also paid close attention to the bureaucratic side of his career. He applied to register his stage name as a trademark with the Brazilian Trademark Office (BPTO) back in 2017, ten months before releasing his debut album LOBOS in August 2018.
This level of care in trademark registration is rare, especially among emerging artists, but it is crucial for the proper protection and management of their work and brand.
Registering a stage name and other distinctive signs associated with the artist’s image and activity as trademarks ensures the exclusive right to use and economically exploit their work. It’s one of the strategies used to amplify the impact of success and generate new revenue streams beyond copyright royalties.
That’s because proper trademark licensing requires that the trademark is officially registered, so there are no disputes over ownership or exclusive rights to use it across the country.
Furthermore, officially licensed merchandise—often turning into collector’s items that increase in value over time—guarantees authenticity, quality, and durability. It also offers fans a complete experience and the chance to take home a genuine piece of their idol.
Finally, it is important to emphasize that by securing protection and exclusive use of their trademarks, artists enhance their market value, expand their artistic legacy, and provide legal certainty not only to their fans but also to business partners. This opens the door for more partnerships and protects their artistic identity from misuse.
Therefore, the theme proposed by WIPO for April 26, 2025, is highly relevant, as it sheds light on the need for a balanced Intellectual Property system—one that not only recognizes and rewards artistic work but also allows society to culturally benefit from the creativity and genius of artists.
