Statement of Newness and Distinctiveness

What is it a SoND? 

A SoND is an optional statement that highlights which visual features of your design are new and distinctive.

If you provide a SoND, we'll use it in the assessment of whether your design is new and distinctive as we examine it. We'll look at the visual features you have highlighted. But, we'll also look at the other material in your design.

Should I include a SoND?

It can be tricky to get a SoND right. If you have any questions, please contact us.

Things to consider: 

• The SoND, generally, can't be amended or deleted once your design has been registered
• It may inadvertently narrow the scope of your design
• It shouldn't be used to explain how your product works or how it will be used
• It can't exclude features of your product. Each design is considered in the context of the whole product it is applied to.

A SoND can help support your representations

Representations are illustrations, digital images or photographs of your design. They're an important part of your application as they highlight the visual features of your design.

Your SoND and representations can work together to highlight the new and distinctive features of your design. You can do this by drawing your design with:

• Solid lines to show the new and distinctive elements of your design
• Dotted lines to show the visual features of the entire product the design is applied to.

The SoND provided below for a ceiling fan is an example of how this can be done.

SoND: the shape and configuration of the product as shown by solid lines in the accompanying representation is new and distinctive.