We thank all of the participants for contributing and sharing their expertise with us. Member companies are randomly chosen each month to participate as a way to connect and educate our member community. To view our previous member spotlights, click here.
How do you choose a 3rd party service provider? What things do you look for?
When considering providers, I look for those who have extensive knowledge of the industry and established partnerships. I also value creativity and appreciate providers who "think outside the box" to develop effective enforcement strategies to mitigate intellectual property abuse across channels. Additionally, having a provider who is quick to adapt and can anticipate changes in counterfeiters’ behavior is key. As a small team, we rely on our providers to act as an extension of our brand protection program, so I appreciate partners who identify targets in their region for review and are proactive in keeping us updated on matters globally.
How do you show your company the value of a brand protection program?
Data is integral to showcasing the value of a brand protection program. For us, that starts with identifying metrics that align with business objectives and measuring the impact of our anti-counterfeiting efforts over time. For example, we measure the number of infringements on eCommerce platforms prior to enforcement to ensure the volume trends downward. We also track data points associated with our customs and law enforcement trainings to evaluate their effectiveness in increasing the seizure of counterfeit goods globally and determine future training strategies. By leveraging these metrics, we’re able to highlight the successes and measurable impact of our program.
What hobbies or causes are you passionate about?
As a dog mom of three and lifelong pet owner, I’m passionate about animal welfare and supporting humane societies and wildlife organizations around the world. Specifically, the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, the Idaho Humane Society, and the Maui Humane Society. If you’re ever in Maui, I highly recommend participating in their "Beach Buddies" program, which allows you to take a shelter dog out for an island adventure. It’s not only a great opportunity for the dogs to be seen in the community (and a welcome break from shelter life), but it's also a great way to give back while on vacation!
What’s one piece of advice you can give a brand looking to enforce their IP?
Get creative in your approach to enforcement. While the usual cornerstones of enforcement are critical, look for other avenues, as well, and liaise with your distributors and customers who often have valuable intel. There’s much to be said about the establishment of an Authorized Internet Reseller program which provides further foundational support to take action against unauthorized online sellers. Take advantage of programs where you have more control over products sold online such as the Amazon Transparency program and look into the new INFORM Consumers Act to see how that may be able to aid in your future enforcement efforts. If your product is subject to a regulatory certification in a foreign country, that too may give you an advantage in enforcement against noncompliant infringers.
How do you show your company the value of a brand protection program?
Periodic company-wide presentations for our marketing and sales teams brings everyone together in a lively discussion on this important topic and how we can better educate consumers. A conversation about counterfeits and knock-off’s is one thing but seeing the photos and videos from out in the field is another. Visuals have been so impactful, particularly when large amounts of counterfeit and knock-off goods have been seized and destroyed. It always gets everyone’s attention and allows our company to see the value of my team’s enforcement efforts in collaboration with our solid network of outside investigators, attorneys and service providers across the globe, many of whom are members of the IACC community.
What hobbies or causes are you passionate about?
Volunteerism. I’ve been on the Board of Directors of a local civic organization in Fairfield County, Connecticut for the past 5 years. I’ve chaired one of our major fundraisers and now I head up our grants program which awards funds to non-profits in the county whose mission is to either ensure quality education, no hunger and/or good health and well-being. The synergy of our members makes all this possible. It is deeply gratifying to see the impact we’ve had on our community. Since our inception, we’ve donated over $4.3 million with over half that amount distributed in the past decade alone.
Who has influenced you most when it comes to how you approach your work?
Since we just observed Father’s Day, I would have to say my Dad. He was a World War II veteran and a funeral director. He had amazing stories and I learned so much from him. My father was in the US Army in the Philippines and then reenlisted in the post war occupation in Japan where he served in the MP’s, served as a guard for General Douglas MacArthur and was critically injured resulting in his lifelong involvement in the DAV. He had amazing insight, knowledge and practical street smarts on how to handle almost any situation in life along with a razor-sharp sense of humor. He truly cared about people and wanted to see them succeed in their pursuits and dreams. He was disciplined, always on time, organized and prepared. I’ve done my best to follow his example in how I approach my own life and work, but I’ve still got a long way to go to catch up to him.
What are your top 2 recommendations to a brand that is building up its IP enforcement program?
I recommend bringing in internal stakeholders from multiple functions early on in the discussion. You are likely to uncover opportunities for ROI across the company, if you implement a brand protection program that is built for the whole organization.
I also advise beginning the process by thinking about what it is you are trying to accomplish with your brand protection technology. The key to this is the recognition that each technology element performs a distinct function – some help to detect, prevent or deter counterfeiting and diversion, others invite the consumer to visually authenticate a product, and others engage the consumer with digital content. The ideal scenario is to be able to address all the necessary functions with one product.
How do you show your clients the value of brand protection?
The nature of this business is such that it’s challenging to come up with an exact ROI number. For instance, how does one accurately measure the public trust in a brand? My goal in discussions with clients is to maximize the value of a brand protection program by delivering actionable insights across different functions of the business. Ideally, you want your program to provide information that’s useful not just to your brand protection and legal team, but to supply chain, operations, sales and marketing, too. Ultimately however, the best stewards of their brands choose to be proactive in their efforts to protect them, rather than trying to clean up a huge issue later.
What’s the best piece of advice you have ever been given?
It’s the same advice I now give others. “Be Yourself”. To me, nothing is more compelling than a true professional who is also genuine and authentic. If that means occasionally being self-deprecating and showing a little vulnerability, that’s more than ok. It does take confidence to be able to do that, but it’s important when you’re building strong and lasting business relationships, especially in an industry where integrity and trust are critical.
What is one way a brand with a mature IP enforcement program can take their efforts to the next level?
Frequently brands are focused on addressing infringements at the consumer/retail level. There are many available and effective tools for this. To level up, brands with mature IP enforcement programs should focus on identifying the root of the problem, the source of the infringing goods, and then partnering with the right team to disrupt these activities. This is a more labor and cost intensive undertaking often requiring cross-border coordination with investigators, legal professionals, and law enforcement, familiarity with local trademark, criminal, and customs laws, and a willingness to engage in protracted efforts. Although more arduous, identifying and shutting down the source is worth the effort!
What are your top 2 recommendations to a brand that is building up its IP enforcement program?
All brands should conduct an IP audit to understand the full scope of their intangible assets and how to best protect them. Brands must know the full scope of their assets and rights before they can devise an effective IP enforcement program! Brands should also be proactive, not reactive. Use any available resources to try to remove counterfeits from well-known marketplaces before they can reach the end consumer. Although developing an enforcement strategy takes time, ensuring your rights are protected and using the various tools available – whether through a paid service or online marketplace reporting tool – should yield immediate results.
What’s the best piece of advice you have ever been given?
Your reputation is everything. Very simple words – and after practicing law for more than 25 years – keeping this constantly in mind and always trying to take the high road has served me well.
