Conference call Marques: save the best for last

01-11-2013

Conference call Marques: save the best for last

Monte Carlo was the host of this year’s Marques trademark conference. WIPR provides a roundup of some of the biggest talking points.

The Marques annual conference always provides a range of interesting and practical sessions for trademark owners, and this year was no different. Perhaps the most engaging session was the final one, which was well attended despite delegates’ natural urge to see the last of Monte Carlo before flying home.

Led by Marlou van de Braak, partner at Hoyng Monegier LLP, and Roland Mallinson, partner at Taylor Wessing LLP, the session focused on the pros and cons of crowdsourcing and social media for brands. To fit in with the theme, attendees were encouraged to tweet, text and use the Marques website to participate in the discussion.

“Brand jacking”—the illegal use of trademarks online—was one of the threats discussed in some detail, one example being Greenpeace’s setting up of a hoax Shell website to raise awareness of the oil company’s controversial plans to drill in the Arctic.


brand jacking, gTLD, SCA, cybersquatting, Supreme Court

WIPR