IACC: Finding your pack

Travis Johnson of the International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition explains how brand owners can build connections with various interested groups to help them solve the problem of counterfeits.

Over a century ago, Rudyard Kipling wrote that “the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack”. More than 40 years ago, the International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition (IACC) began assembling its own pack, with the help of like-minded IP owners. 

Although they may be competitors in their respective industries, the members of the IACC—and rights holders more generally—have common interests that bind them together and demand their cooperation. 

However, many brands fail to recognise this fact, or simply feel that they lack the resources or bandwidth necessary to engage in broader collaborative efforts. This is particularly true for small companies and startups that are just starting to build their brand protection programmes.