WIPO Exhibition Presents New Strategies Against Counterfeit, Pirated Goods

This week, some World Intellectual Property Organization member states are presenting their national and regional practices and strategies to prevent purchases of counterfeit or pirated goods with the aim of promoting the under-reported hard work of states in this area. 

Taking place alongside the WIPO Advisory Committee on Enforcement (ACE) 9^th session from 3-5 March, the exhibition is entitled “Exhibition on Preventive Actions or Successful Experiences to Complement Ongoing Enforcement Measures.”

Nine countries and a regional organisation are participating in the initiative: China, Costa Rica, Poland, Korea, Slovakia, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom, United States, and the League of Arab States.

Key similarities among national strategies include targeting the young public, and bringing forward the idea that consumers of IP-protected products are one and the same with the inventors or other actors with ideas to protect. Education and the improvement of perceptions and attitudes towards IP are considered important preventive measures by participants in the exhibition.

Some national programmes are educating children about intellectual property in elementary schools, and continue during all stages of studies. And campaign messages are evolving: strategies are no longer concentrated on inducing fear of harsh penalties of infringing others intellectual property rights but are centred on creating an awareness that people are not only consumers but inventors in our own domains, and collectively responsible for the respect of IP rights.

As an illustration, a South African project changed “anti-piracy” campaigns by making news concepts more positive like “rewarding good behavior” and “conservation of ideas.”

Video clips, famous ambassadors and social media are new tools that states are using in their awareness-raising campaigns. For example, Costa Rica and Slovakia opened a Facebook page for young people. There are other unusual initiatives, such as the Karaoke Shower Live Tour launched by the UK Intellectual Property Office. It is “designed to resemble a shower that will unleash a nation of private pop wannabes,” according to an event brochure. Videos captured can be posted on Twitter and Facebook and some performances will be shared on a dedicated YouTube channel.

The League of Arab States is using well-known writers to create four cartoons related to four intellectual property domains: trademarks, trademark counterfeiting related to public health, copyrights and neighbouring rights, and online piracy.

To fight illegal downloads online, Slovakia opened a website dedicated to 10 to 15 year olds with famous local pop stars. Nationally famous people can be an asset to raise awareness about IP as people tend to admire them and feel more close to them than to international stars, a WIPO representative explained to Intellectual Property Watch.

The Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage has carried out social studies of different sectors affected by IP infringements. A team led by the ministry, with members from other industries including those of education, science and internal affairs, meet twice a year to assess developments in the area of infringements and enforcement. They develop a long term plan of action every 3 years.

Separately to this, there is an ongoing campaign involving ambassadors including actors, musicians and social activists well known in Poland to raise awareness and respect for IP.

When asked the effectiveness of the campaign, representatives from the Ministry said that 30 percent of the public are now conscious of the campaign and those aware of the campaign tend to be more attuned to IP protection. The Polish Patent Office also organises seminars for entrepreneurs and students, and a course on IP is now included in every university curriculum.

To further share experiences and good practices, WIPO is creating a website which will likely be online this year in order to present more national initiatives.

The brochure of the exhibition is Exhibition ACE-1″ target=”_blank”>available here [pdf].