Anti-Piracy - Outreach Aimed at Consumers

Anti-Counterfeiting Group (ACG)

The ACG in the UK uses high profile media campaigns, road shows and conferences to communicate the negative economic and social impact of counterfeiting and change consumer attitudes. It publishes the Get Real…Say no to Fakes brochure to explain the harm caused by counterfeit goods.   

 

Anti-Piracy Center in Finland (CIAPC)

In 2001, CIAPC launched the Fake no more educational campaign to encourage Finnish consumers to avoid pirated copies of CDs, games and videos. The campaign included a dedicated website with information on copyright laws and the problem of piracy, as well as quotes from artists. 

 

Better Business Bureau ®, Inc. (BBB)

In December 2004, the BBB launched a six-month Counter/Act campaign in Eastern Massachusets, Maine and Vermont. The goal of the campaign was to increase awareness about counterfeiting and the role that consumers and businesses can play in eradicating this problem. The campaign used the slogan Don’t let counterfeit products make you a victim! to emphasis the threat to health and safety caused by counterfeiting. The different materials produced for the campaign also informed consumers on what to do if they encountered counterfeit products and encouraged them to stick to reputable vendors. The campaign also educated businesses on how they are affected by counterfeiting and suggested reasonable steps that businesses can take to protect themselves and their clients. The BBB involved several partners, including The Gillette Company and the United States Customs, in the Counter/Act campaign. It used press releases, media briefings, interviews, opinion editorials, radio and TV public service announcements, and posters to communicate its message to consumers and businesses.

 

Comité National Anti-Contrefaçon (CNAC)

The 2004 Contrefaçon Danger campaign was designed to inform the public about the new health and security risks of counterfeit products and how to avoid them. As part of the campaign, more than 2,500 posters were placed in some 100 cities throughout France. Other communication efforts included a website dedicated to the campaign, a counterfeiting quiz with prizes, and a page insert in the January 22 edition of the Paris-Match magazine. 

 

Convenio Antipiratería para Colombia

Between 2000 and 2003, this Colombian partnership of public, private, academic and intergovernmental stakeholders, ran three televised advertising campaigns to raise awareness about the negative effects of piracy. Messages targeted at consumers were of an educational nature underlined with a touch of humor. The first campaign  Las Aventuras del Pirata consisted of seven different advertisements, each dealing with different sectors affected by piracy and all carrying the tag line "You are as legal as what you buy". The advertisements ran on all Colombian television stations and achieved a 96% penetration rate among the population. The campaign’s success in influencing young audiences led to requests for permission to use the advertisements in other Latin American countries. The second campaign No apoye la Piratería had a more profound message, asking viewers to reflect on the real costs of piracy. The final campaign Pena, penita pena portrayed piracy as a criminal act that can lead to legal sanctions.

 

Danish Ministry of Culture

On March 2004, with the launch of the Infokiosk website, the Danish Ministry of Culture began a public awareness campaign for copyright and related rights. This website contains downloadable comic-style brochures with information on Danish copyright laws relating to the downloading of computer games, films and music files. The brochures include a set of frequently asked questions and a short "do’s and don’t s" guide on digital copying. The resources are intended for a large, general audience including consumers of copyrighted products, teachers, libraries, and right holders themselves. 

 

Global Anti-Counterfeiting Network (GACG)

The  GACG promotes a World Anti-Counterfeiting Day each June to raise awareness about counterfeit goods. GACG members in the US and several European Countries organize educational and awareness events related to the international movement of counterfeit goods. 

 

HIP Alliance (Singapore)

The HIP (Honour Intellectual Property) Alliance is a public awareness initiative of the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore in cooperation with other government agencies, private organizations and industry associations. The campaign gets its message through a variety of media including the HIP newsletter and HIP radio station; the Say NO! to piracy stickers on CDs, DVDs, games, mobile phones and software; an interactive Live for Real DVD for secondary schools; posters for cinemas, print advertisements and Zo cards with the Piracy kills creativity tagline. 

 

Industry Trust for IP Awareness Limited (UK)

The Piracy is a Crime campaign was launched in 2004 to fight DVD piracy. A range of posters and commercials carry a series of messages: Some highlight links between piracy and organized crime, terrorism and people traffickers; others stress the poor quality of pirate DVDs; others focus on the criminal nature of piracy.  

 

Intellectual Property Department (Government of Hong Kong SARC)

This Department has created a series of anti-counterfeiting/piracy posters , in addition to the   I Pledge campaign in which consumers commit not to purchase counterfeit and pirated goods. Since its 1999 launch, the campaign has gathered more than 8000 pledges. Concerts with popular artists are used to encourage consumers to make their pledge.

 

Japan Patent Office (JPO)

In December 2006, the JPO launched a campaign aimed at Japanese tourists, to try to reduce their purchases of counterfeit/pirated products. The campaign, which used the slogan So, I never buy, included a TV spot broadcast in 4 major cities and international airports; a poster displayed in related governmental offices and major train stations; window stickers placed in trains servicing international airports; advertisements on magazines of Japanese airlines; banner advertisements on an internet auction site; a dedicated website; and an exhibition at the lobby of Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry's headquarters.

 

Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO)

KIPO produces and distributes publicity material (including brochures and videos) with anti-counterfeiting information for the general public. It also conducts anti-counterfeiting campaigns on cable TV and electronic signboards in major cities in the attempt of encouraging consumers to avoid counterfeit goods.

 

Ministerio de Cultura (Spain)

In mid-December 2005, the Spanish Minister of Culture held a press conference to launch an anti-piracy campaign with the slogan Defiende tu Cultura . The campaign is part of the larger Anti-Piracy Plan (Plan integral para la disminución y la eliminación de las actividades vulneradoras de la propiedad intelectual) adopted by the Spanish Council of Ministers in April 2005. The campaign aimed at increasing awareness among consumers of how piracy is not only detrimental to famous authors or large companies. By presenting the fight against piracy as an act of protection of the country’s cultural patrimony, the Ministry aimed to discourage consumers from purchasing pirated goods. The campaign was publicized via ads on national TV stations, cinemas in Spain’s main cities, radio spots, and print ads at metro stations in Madrid and Barcelona. The campaign also included a dedicated website where all the communications material could be downloaded and further distributed by individuals.

 

Ministry of Justice (Republic of Kazakhstan)

In 2003, the Republic of Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Justice lauched their first IP and anti-piracy awareness campaign entitled  Intellect . The campaign materials included posters and brochures, as well as TV and radio advertisements. A series of activities were staged, including lectures at universities, meetings with associations of writers, artists and architects, televised appearances, and public displays of the desctruction of pirated and counterfeit goods. 

 

Southern African Federation Against Copyright Theft (SAFACT)

In 2004, SAFACT launched a public awareness campaign with the message Stop Piracy, Stop Crime. Their Crime Sucks!! website contains information about what piracy is, its negative effects, and how to recognize and report pirated goods. The campaign included television and radio advertisements shown during the festive season urging consumers not to buy pirated games and DVDs. Billboards, posters, stickers and leaflets were also distributed throughout South Africa as part of this campaign. 

 

Union des Fabricants (Unifab)

In 1951 Unifab created the Museum of Counterfeiting to educate and inform visitors about counterfeiting, its impact on the world economy and the importance of protecting intellectual property. The museum, which receives more than 15,000 visitors each year, displays counterfeit products alongside the authentic items so that visitors can learn to differentiate them. In addition to the permanent collection, the museum organizes temporary exhibitions dealing with a range of topics including counterfeit toys, software items, and other everyday products.