Entries in International Trademark Association (INTA) (1)

INTA: Counterfeiters and Bloggers. But No Counterfeit Bloggers

Counterfeit jerseys, vodka, motor oil, and hats 

Counterfeit goods. They were everywhere at the International Trademark Association’s annual meeting.

That’s where I was last week: in Dallas, meeting with trademark colleagues from around the world. There were 9,500 of us. And a lot of counterfeit goods.

Jerseys, vodka, motor oil, hats. There was no shortage of examples on display.

A counterfeit good is a brand name put on a good that wasn’t made by the brand owner. Consumers often think they’re getting the real McCoy, but they’re actually buying a fake. Who knows who made what was purchased, or what the quality is. And it’s not all fake purses. Vodka? Motor oil? Counterfeiting can pose a real threat to the safety of unsuspecting purchasers.

That’s a point INTA wanted to help drive home. And they succeeded.

But INTA wasn’t all about counterfeiting. I took some time off to attend the decidedly genuine ninth annual “Meet the Bloggers” reception — a great success and a lot of fun. It’s always the highlight of the conference. Thanks to our hosts, which included luminaries Marty Schwimmer (Trademark Blog), Ron Coleman (Likelihood of Confusion), and John Welch (TTABlog)! It was a blast!

I almost got his autograph, too:
TTABlog’s John Welch at “Meet the Bloggers IX”