Leveraging IP to Build Brand
A JDT Case Study
Back home in Malaysia, JDT is arguably the most well-known and loved local football team. Between 2014 and 2025, JDT won eleven consecutive league titles. Before this achievement, no Malaysian team had ever won the league championship more than twice. Today, the fandom and reach of the JDT brand extends even beyond the state and the nation.
The rise of Johor Darul Ta'zim Football Club (JDT) to continental prominence is not just a story of sporting success, but a masterclass in brand building and the strategic use of Intellectual Property (IP).
JDT, the Malaysian powerhouse known as the "Southern Tigers," has built a formidable commercial entity anchored by a robust IP portfolio.
This focus on IP has transformed JDT from a local football club into a globally recognizable sports and marketing asset, attracting international partnerships and securing its legacy through diverse revenue streams.
1. The Core IP: Trademark Protection Across Nine Classes
JDT’s brand strength is fundamentally protected by its trademarks, which cover not just the essential sports services but an extensive range of commercial goods and retail services in Malaysia. The club holds National Trademark Registration under the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO), registering across multiple classes of the Nice Classification (WIPO Global Brand Database).
The nine classes registered by Johor Darul Ta'zim highlight the club's strategy to commercialize virtually every aspect of its brand, from on-field activities to merchandise and beverages:
Nice Class. Class Description. JDT's Application (Citable Source: WIPO Global Brand Database)
Class 16. Paper and paperboard; printed matter. Used for fan programs, posters, stationery, official documents, and printed tickets.
Class 18. Leather and imitations of leather; luggage and carrying bags. Used for official wallets, bags, travel luggage, and leather accessories.
Class 21. Household or kitchen utensils and containers; glassware, porcelain and earthenware. Used for branded mugs, glassware, cups, and household novelty items.
Class 24. Textiles and textile goods; bed covers; table covers. Used for scarves, flags, banners, towels, and home linen (excluding clothing).
Class 25. Clothing, footwear, headgear. Crucial for jerseys, kits, training gear, and all apparel merchandise.
Class 28. Games and playthings; gymnastic and sporting articles. Used for footballs, sports equipment, mascot toys, and fan memorabilia.
Class 32. Non-alcoholic beverages; mineral and aerated waters; fruit beverages. Used for licensing the brand onto soft drinks, water, or isotonic beverages (e.g., through sponsorship deals with F&N).
Class 35. Advertising; business management; office functions. Essential for handling sponsorships, marketing campaigns, retail services, and commercial operations.
Class 41. Education; providing of training; entertainment; sporting and cultural activities. Core business services: organizing football matches, operating the youth academy, running stadium events, and media production.
The use of service classes 35 (Business/Marketing) and 41 (Sporting Entertainment) is critical, as these registrations legally protect JDT’s ability to operate its team, organize events, and enter into lucrative commercial agreements, forming the foundation of its modern business model (WIPO Global Brand Database).
2. IP in Sports and Marketing Commercialization
JDT has leveraged its protected brand IP to establish its status as a leading regional sports brand, moving beyond traditional football revenue streams (Tickethotline Malaysia; Johor Darul Ta'zim FC).
High-Value Partnerships: The club's commercial success is marked by partnerships with premium international brands. JDT has secured significant deals with entities such as Nike, Hublot, Subway, and Unicef (CarSifu, 2021).
Luxury Co-Branding: A major demonstration of JDT’s brand power came through its partnership with Aston Martin Asia to release limited-edition JDT-themed car designs. This is a unique commercialization move that positions the JDT brand in the luxury lifestyle market, maximizing the value of its trademarked logos and identity (CarSifu, 2021).
E-Commerce and Fan Engagement: The diversification into merchandise is vast, extending beyond typical jerseys (Class 25) to include branded electronic products, such as specially designed smartphones, demonstrating the club's commitment to expanding its brand into new markets and deepening engagement with its extensive social media following, which exceeds 1.5 million fans (Goal.com Malaysia, 2017).
Sports Tourism: JDT actively promotes sports tourism, participating in major travel exhibitions like ITB Asia in Singapore. This strategy leverages the club’s stadium and events as cultural and tourist attractions, turning its matchday atmosphere and infrastructure into an IP-driven tourism product (Johor Darul Ta'zim FC).
3. Other Copyrights and Related Rights
Beyond trademarks, JDT relies heavily on other forms of Intellectual Property to protect and monetize its content and personnel.
A. Copyright
Copyright is essential for protecting the expressive works created by the club (MyIPO). JDT employs copyright to protect its media assets, which include:
Match Broadcasts and Recordings: Exclusive footage of games and behind-the-scenes content
Documentary and Promotional Films: Original content created for its digital platforms and cinema releases, such as club documentaries (Johor Darul Ta'zim FC).
Website and Social Media Content: All proprietary textual, graphic, and multimedia content published on the official website (johorsoutherntigers.my) and Facebook page are protected under copyright, allowing the club to control distribution and licensing (Johor Darul Ta'zim FC).
Official Crest and Design Elements: While the logos and name are protected by trademark, the artistic design of the crest and unique aesthetic elements of the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium may also be protected by copyright or industrial design rights (WIPO Global Brand Database; MyIPO).
B. Related Rights (Image Rights)
Image rights, often classified as "related rights" or the "right of publicity" in IP frameworks, are vital for professional sports clubs.
Player Commercialization: In Malaysian football, clubs like JDT secure the commercial rights to their athletes' identities (names, likenesses, voices, signatures, and nicknames) through contractual agreements. This IP is legally distinct from the club’s trademark, but allows JDT to feature star players in marketing campaigns, advertisements, and co-branded merchandise (PFAM, 2023).
Group Licensing: These agreements enable JDT to feature groups of players in promotional materials for sponsors like Nike or Hublot, turning the collective image of the "Southern Tigers" squad into a valuable commercial asset, directly generating revenue through licensing and endorsement deals (PFAM, 2023).
4. BONUS SECTION: Building A Fandom Around Brand Typography
One of the ingenious ways that the JDT team has grown their fandom is through the usage of their Brand Typography. The official font used in the trademarked brand logo and crest is the highly recognizable font, Planet Kosmos.
The usage of this font is free for personal and non-commercial use. For all commercial use, the creators go by CD-ware terms i.e. users only need to mail them a compact disc (CD) detailing the usage of the font and it grants them a non-transferable but everlasting license to use that typeface for commercial projects (DaFont).
This has catapulted its usage, especially among the locals in Johor to show their love and support for the team. While the font is accessible worldwide and is used by different organisations across continents, step foot into Malaysia and all representations and usage of this font will be quickly associated with JDT.
Conclusion
By diligently safeguarding its IP assets and creative use of brand assets, JDT ensures its market dominance, maintains brand integrity, and continues to expand its revenue streams, cementing its status as the most commercially advanced club in Malaysian football.