Mauritian Lead Public Private Educational Targets Counterfeits in South East Africa

Mauritian Lead Public Private Educational Targets Counterfeits in South East Africa

By Afro-Dodo   Thursday, April 01, 2021   No comments:

INTA, together with the Mauritius Revenue Authority (MRA) and IPvocate Africa, organised a first virtual Customs training for 24 south-east African countries that took place from 9 to 11 December 2020 (for English-speaking countries and on 17 and 18 March 2021 (for French-speaking countries). Customs officials from all around East Africa participated in the online seminar hosted on the secure virtual conferencing platform of INTA. The training sessions will be followed by a customs action targeting counterfeit goods in the region in the second quarter of 2021.

The initiative was born out of a virtual Customs training program with MRA during the lockdown in April 2020. MRA was pleased with the result of the online training and initiated this regional event. Online customs trainings are definitely the way forward, although they cannot permanently replace the personal contacts with the customs officials. Going forward, right holders and right holder organisations should push for online trainings in other regions of the world as a supplement to actual physical training events where personal contacts can be fostered.

Marius Schneider and Surishta Chetamun, IPvocateAfrica 

Read More

INTA Webcast Series: Enforcement of IP Rights in Africa

INTA Webcast Series: Enforcement of IP Rights in Africa

By Afro Leo   Thursday, March 18, 2021   No comments:

INTA, the global association of brand owners and professionals supporting trademarks and related IP to foster trust, economic growth, and innovation, have teamed up with Marius Schneider and Vanessa Ferguson to broadcast a webcast series dedicated to Africa. It is available live or on demand!

The six-session webcast series, Enforcement of IP Rights in Africa, will highlight developments in Africa. The presenters include government officials, practitioners, and brand-owner representatives from key jurisdictions.

The series starts with an overview session focusing on the current economic climate, factors contributing to counterfeiting, and the robust anti-counterfeiting activities taking place across Africa. The four subsequent episodes focus on these topics in different regions of the continent. In the final session, local and international organizations will report on the initiatives they are taking to fight counterfeiting in Africa.

The series will be presented live during the six weeks and will subsequently be available on demand. Members and non-members can purchase a single session or the entire series.

Marius Schneider and Vanessa Ferguson are no strangers to this blog having launched their book “Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights in Africa” published by Oxford University Press in May 2020.

 You can register for the events here. Today’s session covers IP Enforcement in West Africa:

"Being the number one economy and the country with the largest population in Africa, Nigeria is the focal point of investors in the West African region. At the same time, Nigeria has increasingly become a target destination and a significant transit route for counterfeit and pirated products. This has a significant impact on the neighbouring countries, including member states of the regional IP organization, OAPI and Ghana—another regional giant.”

The event kicks off at 8:00am EDT. See you there! 

Read More

INTA's 2020 Annual Meeting & Leadership Meeting Goes Virtual

INTA's 2020 Annual Meeting & Leadership Meeting Goes Virtual

By Afro Leo   Wednesday, May 20, 2020   No comments:

The International Trademark Association (INTA) announced today that it will be transforming its 2020 Annual Meeting & Leadership Meeting in November into an all-virtual event, in response to the continuing uncertainty surrounding the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.

In April, INTA announced that it would hold a first-ever combined Annual Meeting & Leadership Meeting on November 16–20 in Houston, Texas, but that it would continue monitoring COVID-19 to determine the viability of an in-person event.  Earlier, when the health crisis first emerged, the Association postponed the original 2020 Annual Meeting in Singapore, which would have taken place last month.

With the virtual format, the Annual Meeting will remain November 16–20; during the prior week, on November 11–13, committee meetings and Leadership Meeting sessions for INTA volunteers will be scheduled. Registration will open in early July.

In switching to the online event, like with earlier changes, INTA continues to prioritize the health and safety of members, staff, sponsors, exhibitors, and the community. It has also taken into consideration members’ budget and travel restraints and concerns, among other factors.

“Cancelling the Annual Meeting has not been an option for us,” said INTA CEO Etienne Sanz de Acedo. “While the path here has come with a heavy heart, we believe this forward-looking approach is the safest option right now and keeps registrants’ best interests in mind. Moreover, we are excited about the prospect of not only bringing our community together again, but doing so in a new and innovative way, on a secure and engaging platform.”

The virtual meeting will include live, simulated-live, and on-demand educational sessions, multiple networking opportunities, an interactive Exhibit Hall, and many of the same features registrants have come to expect at INTA’s in-person gatherings, such as Table Topics and Speed Networking.

Mr. Sanz de Acedo noted that the new format “aligns with INTA’s digital transformation and pioneers a future that incorporates virtual offerings into our in-person events.”

Watch the video announcement here.

Whilst the annual rendezvous will be missed as a wonderful opportunity to catch up with colleagues and clients face to face, this is also an opportunity as it means that the conference becomes more accessible for Africans that often find the content cost prohibitive or exclusive to partners within firms. It will be interesting to learn more about the format and just how firms respond with their own initiatives. 

Read More

Thoughts on INTA's Gen Z Insights: Brands and Counterfeit Products [Nigeria Country Report]

Thoughts on INTA's Gen Z Insights: Brands and Counterfeit Products [Nigeria Country Report]

By Chijioke Ifeoma Okorie   Thursday, July 18, 2019   No comments:

In May, the International Trademark Organisation (INTA) published several country reports on the attitudes of Gen Z (for the purposes of the Report, those between the ages of 18 and 23) to buying and selling of counterfeits or fake products. The reports involve results from a survey undertaken in 10 countries: Nigeria, Argentina, Indonesia, China, Japan, Russia, India, United States, Italy and Mexico.

This post presents an overview of and thoughts on the report concerning Nigeria (the Report). The sample size for Nigeria's market is smaller than other markets due to limited sampling feasibility.

Here is an overview of the Report:

Background

The Report acknowledges the significance of Gen Z to the global consumer base. The selection of the 10 countries was based on factors such as population size of Gen Z in those countries, prevalence of counterfeit goods and economic development. See page 4. Further, the Report based the survey on the three characteristics that define Gen Z's generational identity and that influence the purchase behaviour of counterfeit products: individuality, morality and flexibility. See page 6.

In addition to these considerations, the Report also defined "fake products" as "an exact imitation of a brand's product and its packaging". See page 5. 

Key findings

The Report presents the results from "Virtual Qualitative Phase" where respondents from Argentina, India, Russia and the United States were asked to complete 3 days' worth of activities online, and a second Quantitative Phase comprising of respondents from all the selected countries. This second phase was informed by findings from the virtual qualitative phase and required respondents to complete a 25-minute online survey. See page 5.

Here are some of the key findings on Nigeria:

• Income is a top determinant of whether a Nigerian Gen Zer will purchase fakes; with morality coming a close second. See page 21.
• Almost all the respondents (97%) have purchased fakes in the recent past.
• Clothes, shoes and accessories are the top-purchased fake products.
• Media personalities, social media influencers and brands' creators or employees, are Gen Z's top three credible sources for learning about fakes. 
• In terms of knowledge of IPRs such as copyright and trademarks, respondents from all countries are above 75%. For Nigeria, respondents that knew about IPRs are in the bottom 3 countries with 79%. See pages 9 and 19.
• Nigerian Gen Zers top the list of those who have purchased fakes in the past year. See page 10.
• The global (the 10 countries) and national (Nigeria) average for number of fake food and beverages and personal care products seen by Gen Zers is low compared to other products. Page 11.
• The top 3 media for Gen Zers in terms of usage and awareness are Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. See pages 15 and 21.
• Only few (29%) are proud to show off a good fake to friends; but majority (95%) believe they deserve to know if the product they are buying is fake or genuine. See page 22.

Some thoughts
What to think of all these?

• It is said that food, clothing and shelter are the most basic human needs. It therefore makes sense that clothing (apparel and shoes) is the most purchased fake product. Conversely, brands that will do well in Nigeria are likely to be brands that give a "high-end" feel but are reasonably priced.
• IP education needs to start early: Knowledge of IPRs at 79% of Gen Zers is low when it is considered that almost all the respondents have purchased fakes in the recent past. As McLean Sibanda suggested in the case of South Africa, IP education needs to start as early as primary school.
• The number of Gen Zers who have purchased fakes in the recent past is quite high at 97%. In fact, Nigeria ranked highest for this question. This raises the issue of availability. Are the fakes made within Nigeria or are they imports? What is the ratio of fakes made in Nigeria to imported fakes?
• The definition of "fakes" as exact imitation of a brand's product and its packaging when applied to food and beverages may need more context. Food scarcity is a huge problem in Nigeria and Africa generally. Whether fake food and beverages are safe or not may be a better determinant of purchase than the cost of the goods or the personal values of the Gen Zers. The Report bears this out in page 28 as majority rarely think of fakes when it comes to food products. For context, popular breakfast cereal brand, Kellog's started manufacturing some of its breakfast cereals in Nigeria in 2016. The Nigeria-made Kellog's cereals are cheaper and taste differently from the imported ones. Whether it tastes better or not, you will not read this on Afro-IP. Some opinions here.
• There is a correlation between the top media in terms of awareness and usage and the kinds of fake products most purchased. Clothes, shoes and accessories are very much available on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Beyond being social media sites, these media are also sales points. This raises the question of what advertising regulations exist and how consumer protection law works for Gen Z consumers (and other consumers).

What do readers make of the Report's findings?

Read More

INTA's Building Africa With Brands gets closer - a few places left sign up!

INTA's Building Africa With Brands gets closer - a few places left sign up!

By Afro Leo   Tuesday, August 23, 2016   No comments:

In just over a week INTA comes to Africa's Cape Town to run a two day conference entitled "Building Africa With Brands". The full program can be obtained here (link no longer available) and Afro Leo understands that there are still a few places left, so sign up! (see "5 Reasons Why You Need To Be At INTA's Building Africa With Brands Conference 1-2 September Cape Town)". This blog supports the event and will be there to cover it.

"The Building Africa with Brands Conference will give you the unique opportunity to meet with African and international brand owners, government officials, and legal experts from around the world, who recognize the importance of the African market to their businesses.
The Conference will provide attendees with unique access to brand owners and provide the perfect setting for an exchange of ideas, opinions, expertise, and best practices on important issues facing those doing business in Africa. Hear firsthand from those who have successfully transformed African brands into global brands, as well as the lessons that multinational companies have learned from doing business in Africa.

Sessions include:

• Brand creation, protection, and enforcement strategies in developing economies
• The importance of IP in economic growth and foreign investment in the region
• Challenges and opportunities in Africa from a brand owner’s point of view
• Developing and implementing the right IP strategy for your company
• Traditional knowledge, legacy rights, geographical indications

Attendees will:

• Get tools and tips on building your brand in Africa
• Learn how to add the value of your IP to your balance sheet
• Better navigate the regulatory landscape
• Hear from experts about growing a brand across borders
• Learn from experts about digital marketing and how Africa has embraced a mobile world
• And much more!

Attendee justification toolkit (link no longer available) (.pdf)"

Read More

INTA Annual Meeting 2015 - once again features IP in Africa

INTA Annual Meeting 2015 - once again features IP in Africa

By IPcommentator   Saturday, May 02, 2015   No comments:

WIPO’s filing statistics (2014) unsurprisingly tell us that the African continent’s share in the global trade mark activity in 2013 is higher (guess year-on-year) than its share for the other registrable IP rights compared in that same year. Trade mark = 2.4%; Industry design = 1.2%; Patent = 0.6%; and Utility model = 0.02%. Surely, the corporate world (or to be precise, multinational brand owners) isn't neglecting the trend here – which is likely to remain so for the next decade.

The 137^th Annual Meeting (AM) of the International Trademark Association (INTA) kicks off today in San Diego, USA. [Did you know that INTA was founded as the United States Trademark Association?] Since this Leo can’t afford (financially and otherwise) to be there – same old excuses - the best he can do is to window-shop for Africa-related content. If nothing else, this post may serve as a benchmark for next year’s AM so as to gauge the level of topics discussed and the local IP firms involved.

Main course

Tuesday, 5^th May, 11:45 am–1:00 pm

RT20 Trademark Offices in Africa: The Importance of Working with Related Government Agencies [Brilliant! Afro-IP blog once had a look at the state of affairs online here and here]

Participants:

Simon Brown, Adams & Adams (South Africa)

John Syekei, Coulson Harney (Kenya)

Chitua Uzoh, Aluko & Oyebode (Nigeria)

Uche Nwokocha, Aluko & Oyebode (Nigeria) – Moderator (also a member of the project team)

Followed by Africa reception from 1:15 pm - 2:15 pm - mingle time!

Wednesday, 6^th May, 10:15 am–11:30 am

RW02 Regional Update: Africa—The Implementation of International IP Treaties in Africa

Participants:

Fernando Antonio Dos Santos, African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) (Zimbabwe)

Dr. Paulin Edou Edou, Organisation Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle (OAPI) (Cameroon)

Wayne Meiring, Spoor & Fisher Jersey (South Africa)

Uwa Ohiku, Jackson, Etti, Edu & Co. (Nigeria)

Chinyere Anayo Okorocha, Jackson, Etti, Edu & Co. (Nigeria) – Moderator (also a member of the project team)

Side dishes a.k.a Table Topics

Monday, 4^th May, 1:15pm – 3:15pm

TM72 Regulation of Franchising in Africa: A Little Too Much?

Presenter: Tiwalola Okeyinka, AELEX (Nigeria)

Tuesday, 5^th May, 1:15pm – 3:15pm

(1) TT67 Supply Chain Security: A Regulatory and Anticounterfeiting Measure in the Food and Drug Industry

Presenter: Kingsley Ejiofor, The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) (Nigeria)

(2) TT68 Taking Security Over Intellectual Property: The Challenges of Global Market Operation Companies

Presenter: Obinna Osisiogu, Stillwaters Law Firm (Nigeria)

Committee sessions include:

Monday, 4^th May, 1:15 pm – 3:15 pm

Trademark Offices Practices Committee – Africa TMO Relations Subcommittee

Tuesday, 5^th May, 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm

Africa Global Advisory Council

On a side note, this Leo can see Aisha Salem, USPTO IP Attaché for the Middle East and North Africa, is listed as a participant. It would be good to find out from Salem if the USPTO (budget permitting) has any plans to expand its attaché program in Africa. [South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria?]

Commentary

This Leo can remember Afro-IP’s rallying call to action after the Regional Update for Africa vanished from INTA’s AM agenda in 2011. Indeed, it is with great relief to see the slot restored the following year and thereafter (see 2013 -  link no longer available). In fact, last year it was titled ‘Africa Rising!’ At this juncture, one can hazard a guess that local IP firms [though Afro-Leo would like to see more firms from other African countries participating] and the regional IP offices help retain Africa on the agenda through their support. Please keep up the good work!

Sitting next to me is one over-optimistic Afro-Leo who is sing-songing, “I still have a dream that one day - oh yes, one good day - that INTA will boldly stage this grand event on African soil”. Well, for those looking for IP events in one of the lovely African cities, there are a few scheduled this month in Cairo, Dakar and Kigali.

To the fortunate ones attending: please do feel free to share (anonymously or otherwise) your thoughts, notes, gossip etc during or after the event. (See one example on Afro-IP here)

Other commendable INTA milestones

20[ ] – INTA holds its first Annual Meeting in Africa, in [fill in the gap].

2014 - INTA holds its first Annual Meeting in Asia, in Hong Kong.

2007 - INTA establishes representation in Mumbai, India.

Read More