Please view this month's Member Spotlights!

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. 

Bharat Kapoor 

Authentix

Vice President, Authentix Online Brand Protection

Paris, France

What are the top 2 challenges in IP enforcement you see affecting your industry over the next year?

On the one hand, as online sales occur in an omni-channel environment, brands need to focus on collecting and analyzing the right set of data to make connections and take down infringing distribution channels collectively. On the other hand, ecommerce marketplaces and social media are making it increasingly difficult for brands to access sellers on their platform, with search and enforcement tools becoming less effective at tackling the range of issues online. Brand protection teams need to address these challenges by having targeted strategies supported with data and insights to deliver results and to avoid being overly reliant with on-ground investigators.

Can you provide your top 2 best practices for protecting IP? 

First, it is important to have registered IP rights and the ability to authenticate products efficiently. Second, the ability to collect and analyze high-quality data and manage a range of enforcement activity efficiently across hundreds of marketplaces globally is the most important factor in protecting IP. Authentix’s online brand protection solution and service platform gives our clients the ability to find and connect activities on a range of issues across ecommerce channels and further enables our global services team to manage these brand protection activities at scale. We also have active channels of communication with marketplaces to continuously address online threats collaboratively, and actively call out their lack of cooperation publicly.

What hobbies or causes are you passionate about?

We are deeply committed towards sustainability and Authentix Inc. has funded numerous environmental and educational projects in Africa, South America, and many other communities we serve. We have also implemented best practices on sustainability within the global organization. We have been following industry discussions on upcycling of counterfeit goods, and we have supported our clients in building strategies in certain countries. We are passionate about using our skills to support causes that positively impact the environment and conducting investigations into issues such as the illegal trafficking of birds and wildlife. Delivering results on projects such as these reenergizes me and our team to continue to fight against illegal activities online.

Contact info: bharat.kapoor@authentix.com 

Scott Johnston 

Chainalysis

What is one way a brand with a mature IP enforcement program can take their efforts to the next level?

In the majority of cases criminals commit crime to make money and IP crime is no different. Therefore as part of any successful IP enforcement program consideration should be given to “following the money” as a way of identifying wider networks and providing clear and coherent intelligence to pass to Law enforcement. Chainalysis is the blockchain data platform providing blockchain intelligence to organizations and customers around the globe. Our intelligence and assessment, based on comprehensive work within the IP crime landscape, now indicates that cryptocurrency is an increasingly used payment mechanism for the provision of counterfeit goods, products and services. It's therefore vital that organizations increase their crypto literacy, gear up with regards to compliance and understand the benefits of track and trace technology to support their brand protection.

How do you show your clients the value of brand protection?

The data that we hold in regard to the cryptocurrency landscape can be used and exploited as another form of intelligence to work alongside existing practices. Our partner www.ncprotection.com has informed us that approximately 75% of providers of illegal IPTV offer customers the option to pay with e.g. Bitcoin and if the customer asks, nearly 100% of providers will provide opportunities to pay with cryptocurrencies. This is replicated across multiple forms of counterfeited goods and services. Chainalysis adds value by raising awareness, providing training and delivering investigative support into the tracing of cryptocurrency, and we establish strong and robust public/private partnerships to help deter and disrupt multiple forms of IP crime through targeting paying methods and denial of assets.

What hobbies or causes are you passionate about? 

As a former semi- professional rugby player and being from Wales - rugby has been and continues to be a key part of my life. It provides you with the discipline and team ethic to succeed in the working environment. Now as I have sadly got older and retired I live my rugby career vicariously through my son where I am now the head coach for his rugby team. This work is voluntary, but it is something I absolutely love. It is really worthwhile and rewarding especially to see the development of the kids I coach, and to know that some of the experiences and knowledge I have gained upon my journey can be passed on and put to good use within the local community. I would have to admit that my Sunday mornings down on the rugby field no matter what the weather, are probably my favorite time of the week!

Contact info: scott.johnston@chainalysis.com 

Michael Benarde 

Nightcap 

How do you choose a 3^rd party service provider? What things do you look for?

It can be difficult to determine this upfront in my opinion if you are trying to enforce a patent. For trademarks and copyright, I would go by pricing and service, but we have had different levels of success with different providers in enforcing patents. My recommendation is not to get into a long-term contract with one of these providers until they can show that they are successful with patent enforcement on some of the platforms that are more difficult to deal with. Different companies have different relationships with these platforms that may translate better or worse with enforcement.

What are the biggest impacts of counterfeits on your industry? Please list industry.

Our drink spiking prevention product is very easy to replicate. We get thousands of drop shippers and Chinese factories listing our product on 3^rd party marketplaces. The biggest impact is loss of sales, and we must work to take them down as fast as they get put up which can be a challenge on platforms that are slow to respond and enforce. Additionally, an important note for any company that sells a low price point product. There is a serious infringement issue in the promotional items industry, however service providers are not able to track these websites so they must be checked manually. If not kept in check, they will sell knock offs of your product illegally by the thousands.

What hobbies or causes are you passionate about? 

When I’m not selling scrunchies or working on enforcement issues you can find me attending Miami Dolphins and Florida State Seminoles football games. There’s nothing better than gameday.

Contact info: Michael@nightcapit.com 

The IACC would like to welcome our new member!

Collegiate Licensing Company