Building respect for intellectual property (IP) involves more than just enforcement; we also have to educate, inform and change attitudes. We assist our member states to design national strategies for building respect for IP and to develop tools for use in awareness raising, in particular among young people.
Featured
New IP Game - Can you be an IP champion? Challenge yourself!
This module – supported by funds-in-trust provided by the Republic of Korea – consists of five units designed for children aged 10 to 15. It aims to develop a better understanding of creative activity and the links to IP through debate and discussion. Printable version for students , for teachers .
This module – supported by funds-in-trust provided by the Japan Patent Office – offers three units for young people aged 14 to 19. It focuses on the role of trademarks in modern society and the creativity which goes into the development of brands. Printable version for students , for teachers .
With the support of the Government of Japan – WIPO organized the "Real Manga" competition, inviting Japanese manga artists to create an original work highlighting the health and safety risks associated with counterfeits.
Philippines
IP and Citizen Journalism for Philippine Science High School Main Campus and Polytechnic University of the Philippines Laboratory High School
Dominican Republic
Students learn about the importance of respecting Copyright
WIPO launched a Manhwa on Copyright Enforcement with the support of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) of the Republic of Korea.
Products for children
Getting Creative with Pororo
Meet "Pororo, the Little Penguin", a lovable character that helps young children get a basic grasp of IP. This animation series was developed with financial assistance from funds-in-trust provided by the Korean Intellectual Property Office and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. A Practical Guide for Parents and Teachers.
"Great Ideas"
Pororo and friends invent a jet-engine sled. They discover the nature of invention and the importance of keeping records of the development process.
Pororo and friends enter the jet-engine sled in an invention contest, and learn about the basic conditions that must be satisfied before an invention can qualify for legal protection.
Pororo and friends learn about the nature of the design process when they decide to redesign their sled to improve its look and performance. They begin work by brainstorming all the changes they wish to make. The redesigned model proves to be a success, and many friends line up asking for a sled of their own.
Pororo and friends discover the benefits of trademarks, when sleds made by the Rabbit Twins are mistaken for Pororo’s sled. The friends learn what makes a valid trademark and invent a suitable name and logo.
Pororo and friends learn the importance of respecting IP rights. The Super Sled is a hit in Invention Town until news that one was involved in a crash. On investigation, it turns out that the sled was a counterfeit version made by Brown Bear. Helped by Judge Hippo, Pororo and his friends investigate…
Pororo and Crong enter a picture competition, but problems arise when it turns out that someone has been copying an existing picture without permission. Pororo and his friends learn that original creative works are the property of their authors and not free for anyone else to exploit as they please.
With the help of Indecopi, Peru, we have produced three animated videos that explain IP-related topics in a fun and engaging way for older children. [Download print versions]
Copyright
WIPO cartoon on the role and importance of copyright.
At the annual meetings of WIPO's Advisory Committee on Enforcement, member states come together to share views and experiences relating to building respect for IP.
Awareness raising is a frequent topic of discussion and many imaginative communications initiatives have been presented by national authorities and the private sector.
Every year, we organize an “ACE Cinema” alongside the Enforcement Advisory Committee (ACE) and screen videos to raise awareness of the fight against piracy and counterfeiting. It shows the importance of respecting IP in everyday life and how IP offices and private sector organizations around the world are leading by example in the fight against piracy and counterfeiting, highlighting the dangers posed by the violation of IP.
Exhibitions
WIPO organized the first ever exhibition, "Be Real –Spot the Fake" from a health and safety perspective. The exhibition challenged delegates and passers-by to distinguish between genuine and fake products, with QR codes revealing the answers. 68 per cent correctly identified the counterfeit product. This promoted understanding of the complexities surrounding counterfeit products and their impact on consumers and served as a valuable resource for discussions and knowledge sharing during the ACE and among WIPO staff.
Brazil: 30 students embarked in a playful initiative about the importance of IP rights
Strategies for building respect for IP
Awareness raising is an essential component of any strategy to build respect for IP. The tactics involved in any strategy include not only public communications, but also practical steps such as:
changes to educational curricula
commercial strategies to encourage legitimate consumption of IP protected goods
technical measures to prevent access to infringing content,
enforcement activity associated with specific awareness raising campaigns.
The initial phase in developing a strategy is to assess the current IP environment in the country, studying in particular the level of consumer perception of IP and awareness of legal and social impact of IP infringing activities. This phase would include an evaluation of the various awareness activities already undertaken at the national level, analyzing the achievements and the related challenges. Consumer surveys, as provided for in the WIPO Consumer Survey Toolkit, focus group meetings, and questionnaires to key players may be used.
Once the environment in the context of respect for IP has been assessed and evaluated, the goals of the strategy should be defined. It is important to identify the specific behavior that the strategy would seek to modify (e.g., reduce purchases of counterfeit medicines).
The key target groups are those that are to adopt the relevant change of behavior, or are needed to bring that change about. Examples in the first category would include young people, adult consumers or the public in general. In the latter category, one might include law enforcement officials, the media or distributors of IP-protected goods.
There are a variety of awareness-raising activities on building respect for IP that may be developed and adapted in light of the targeted objectives. The message underlying each activity will probably vary and may include: the easy availability of legitimate products, the unfairness of counterfeiting and piracy to creators and innovators, or the damage caused to employment, culture or public health.
Each activity will need to be monitored and, upon completion, evaluated against the initial objectives. The WIPO Consumer Survey Toolkit provides a template questionnaire for use in evaluating the effectiveness of communications strategies after the event.