As someone who has been involved in the online brand protection sector for over 15 years, I am constantly surprised by the dynamic shifts in the market.



From the early days when MarkMonitor and NetNames were the clear leaders, to well-funded startups such as Yellow Brand Protection and Incopro challenging the status quo, followed by a period of heavy M&A, the market is now extremely diverse.

This can be confusing for potential customers and investors seeking a solution to the ever-growing problem of online brand protection, especially with the emergence of new issues like fake NFTs and related marketplaces. To simplify matters, I have divided my commentary into several categories:

Market Leaders - companies with the highest market share and global coverage in terms of sales and service, specializing in anti-counterfeiting, IP abuse on websites and social media, fake websites, digital content piracy, and more.

Challengers - vendors aiming to fill the same broad requirements but lack market share, coverage, or recognition yet.

Legacy vendors - companies with significant market share, but their solutions and customer base are waning.

Specialists - businesses focused on solving one significant problem exceptionally well, as it is proving too costly for one vendor to solve the whole set of issues in the online space.

Regional players - vendors originating in one region or country, attempting to address the entire problem set but largely focused on clients in a given geography.

It is essential to note that these categories are based on my own observation of the current state of the market, and I have offered providers the opportunity to discuss this matter with me. For those who declined to interact, I relied on publicly available information and my personal knowledge of the players. I have also spoken to a few customers and experts in the sector.

A good online brand protection provider must conduct a straightforward set of steps, including searching the internet for misuse of a term or image, filtering results for false positives and criticality level, enforcing, following up, and reporting back to the rights owner with analysis. The quality of staff and the capabilities of their technology deployed plays a significant role in the success of searching, filtration accuracy, diligence in follow-up, and completeness of reporting.

The merger with Opsec caused the loss of numerous knowledgeable staff from all parts of the business, resulting in a shallower pool of skills. While efforts have been made to improve the technology base, its flawed architecture and multiple platforms may hinder its competitiveness against newer entrants.

As a result, it is anticipated that the customer base will shrink over time as existing clients shift to other vendors and new customers may not join in sufficient volumes to compensate for the loss. Corporation Service Company dominates the Corporate Domain Management sector but has not actively sought growth in the OBP business, resulting in a decrease in its customer base.

On the other hand, 3PM Solutions specializes in detecting, analyzing, and confirming infringing content using computer vision and artificial intelligence without human intervention. Their technology is flexible and suitable for broader use cases beyond their current clients' requirements, making them an unparalleled solution for marketplaces or larger corporates dealing with high volumes of abuses.

While not a full-service OBP vendor, 3PM's approach allows for greater accuracy and more rapid detection at scale without significant cost implications.

Using the brand protection service correctly can enhance its reputation among customers, build trust, and provide protection against losses. However, if a company fails to granulate and verify information, neglects to work with partners by verifying their work and pricing policy, and fails to register its brand and intellectual property, the brand protection service will only delay the company's decline in the market.

It is not possible to eliminate all negative reviews or correct errors in marketing strategies, advertising, or customer service as everything that makes it onto the internet remains there indefinitely.

Do you have any experience dealing with brand protection services or managing your online reputation?