WIPO and ITC publish guide on the role of intellectual property in marketing crafts and visual arts

Geneva, February 20, 2004
Press Updates UPD/2004/221

Artisans, craft entrepreneurs and visual artists involved in business can now make use of a practical guide, published this month by World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and International Trade Centre (ITC), on how to successfully manage and market their intellectual property (IP) assets. "Marketing Crafts and Visual Arts: The Role of Intellectual Property. A practical guide" provides advice and draws on success stories to demonstrate the relevance of IP and marketing to the commercial activities of artisans and visual artists. The Guide has been published as part of a WIPO-ITC joint initiative to improve understanding of the links between the IP system and successful marketing.

Understanding the market, particularly the behavior of consumers and competitors, is the key to business success. A planned and systematic marketing strategy which integrates the use of tools of the IP system is important in enabling artisans and visual artists to get a fair return on their creativity. The guide attempts to explain principles of IP and marketing by underlining the practical relevance of both and their interdependence in enabling artisans, craft entrepreneurs and visual artists to create and retain a competitive edge in the marketplace and to profit from their creativity, expertise, skills and enterprise through fair means.

The real challenges for artisans and visual artists in today's highly competitive and technological driven marketplace are to produce and market winning new products that cater to changing consumer tastes and also to prevent and effectively deal with unfair competition or theft of their ideas. The IP system is the best available tool for deterring unfair competition by creating and maintaining exclusivity over creative and innovative output in the marketplace. The effective use of IP can also help to develop networks and relationships with end consumers and all links in the supply and demand chains.

All countries have a stake in protecting their culture-based goods which make up a substantial part of their national cultural heritage. The protection of culture-based goods can prove to be pivotal for sustainable development and poverty reduction. The defence of the interests of artists, craft entrepreneurs and visual artists against unfair competition is critical in underpinning their commercial success and their contribution to individual and collective wealth creation, as well as the preservation of cultural identity and diversity.

• "Marketing Crafts and Visual Arts: The Role of Intellectual Property. A practical guide" .

For more information on IP for SMEs visit https://www.wipo.int/sme and subscribe to the free monthly electronic newsletter of the SMEs Division or contact the Media Relations and Public Affairs Section at WIPO on +41 22 338 8161 or 338 95 47; e-mail: publicinf.mail@wipo.int.