浙江义乌守护创意的铠甲：从“哭哭马”看知识产权保护

Guardian of Creativity:

Intellectual Property Protection Through the "Crying Horse"

守护创意的铠甲：从“哭哭马”看知识产权保护

女: Law isn't just about big cases. 

   法律无小事

男：It's in everyday stories too. 

   常听有新知

女：Right before the Year of the Horse, a Yiwu plush toy called "Crying Horse"（哭哭马） went viral overnight, all because a worker accidentally sewed its smile upside down. A happy mistake, but also a great lesson on IP protection. 

   马年春节前夕，义乌小商品市场一款因工人缝错嘴角的毛绒玩具“哭哭马”，一夜爆红。一个美丽的失误，也是一堂关于知识产权保护的生动课程。

合：Let's go and see this famous horse.

   现在，我们就到市场上看看这个“哭哭马”。

男: What's the key takeaway from this case?

  你觉得这个案例最值得关注的点在哪？

女: First, we need to clarify some basic concepts. The "Crying Horse" involves three types of IP rights.

  我觉得，首先得帮大家厘清基本概念。“哭哭马”身上，其实凝结了三种不同的权利。

Its "look", including the shape, the expression, and its color scheme, is protected by design patent.

它的“颜值”，包括外形、表情和色彩搭配，属于外观设计专利的保护范围。

And its "soul", the creative idea behind that crying face, is protected by copyright.

它的“灵魂”，这个“哭哭”表情的设计思路、整体造型的原创表达，属于著作权（版权）保护。

And the name "Crying Horse" itself can be registered as a trademark, serving as its commercial logo.

而“哭哭马”这个名字则可以申请注册商标专用权，这是它的商业标识。

男: Good analysis. But hot trends, sharp risks. Based on real cases, viral products face three main risks.

   分析得对。但热点来得快，风险也跟得紧。根据我们处理过的案子，这类网红产品最容易面临三类风险。

女: Risk 1: Reveal first, file later. If a product blows up online first, like the “Crying Horse”, the design may lose its “novelty,” and the door to patent protection may be shut.

  风险一：未申请先公开。如果一个产品先在网上爆红，像“哭哭马”一样，其设计可能会失去“新颖性”，从而失去申请专利保护的机会。

男: Risk 2: Trademark squatting. Others may apply to register your product’s name or look first. Under the first-to-file principle, the original creator could lose the right to use it, and even get sued for infringement.

  风险二：商标被抢注。其他人可能会抢先申请注册产品的名称或形象，依据“申请在先”原则，原创者自己反而可能用不了，甚至被反诉侵权。

女: Risk 3: Hard-to-prove copyright. In China, copyright registration is only a formal check—it doesn’t verify originality or true ownership. So a registration certificate can only serve as prima facie evidence, not final proof.

  风险三：著作权维权操作难，我国著作权登记仅进行形式审查，不审查独创性和权利归属，登记证书只能作为初步证据，并非法定权属证明。

男: Prevention is always better than cure. Here are three key tips for businesses and creators:

  所以，预防远比事后补救重要。我们可以给原创者和经营户三点核心提醒：

男：1. Plan ahead. Register your trademarks, patents, and copyrights before you launch.

  布局要超前，产品未公开，商标、专利、版权先落地；

女：2. Save everything. Keep sketches, drafts and notes as proof of originality.

  证据要留存，设计底稿、创作记录是维权护身符；

男：3. Act fast. If you spot copying, gather evidence right away to keep it from getting worse.

  维权要及时，发现侵权先固定证据，避免损失扩大。

女: The story of the "Crying Horse" ends here, but the protection of creativity never stops. Respect IP. Respect every spark of inspiration.

  这匹哭哭马的故事讲完了，但对创意的守护没有停止。尊重知识产权，就是尊重每一份灵光一现的创意。

合：Wish everyone a Year of the Horse where you can gallop into legal know-how.

  最后，愿大家在马年里都能“马上懂法”。

责编：于昕冉