INTA: Uncharted waters
This year the International Trademark Association (INTA) will be in uncharted waters. In May, the organisation’s annual conference will be held on Asian shores for the first time, with thousands of delegates expected to convene in Hong Kong.
For many of INTA’s members the conference will be a major event in their future calendars, but for Mei-lan Stark, the hard work has already begun. Elected as the organisation’s new president and chair of its board of directors in January, Stark will head up proceedings for the year.
Stark identifies three goals as key to the organisation in 2014: establishing a connection between brands and innovation, building bridges with previously unexplored groups and jurisdictions and improving the structure of its internal committee boards.
It is the second point, on building unexplored bridges, which brings Stark to the subject of Hong Kong and INTA’s efforts at expanding its global relations.
“I feel like our community [the trademark community] is now truly global. Ever since we changed our name from US Trademark Association in 1993 we have strived to have a global presence,” says Stark.
“We have phenomenal education and advocacy efforts that go on within the organisation but we can still expand our reach.
“I want to see us build bridges, not just with government bodies and the IP-related non-governmental organisations we work with, but with groups that have not been as easy to partner with,” says Stark, identifying trade unions, marketing associations and consumer protection groups among the list.
"It is really essential to be out there explaining that consumers are one of the most important stakeholders in IP, and that by protecting trademarks we are also protecting consumers."
“The more broadly we cast our net, the greater weight our voice will have,” she says. She is also keen to push INTA’s anti-counterfeiting campaign Unreal, which is aimed at teenagers, beyond US shores in 2014.
As senior vice president at Fox Entertainment Group by day and an INTA member for more than 15 years, Stark is no stranger to the importance of the global reach of trademarks and is therefore keen for INTA to make the most of its maiden foray into Asian territory.
“This conference represents a huge opportunity for us,” says Stark. “As well as its being in Asia it will be the first time we will have had simultaneous translations during some of the programmes.”
The number of delegates already confirmed for the five-day event looks promising. At the time of writing, just a week after the registration window opened, more than 3,000 people had confirmed their attendance.
“We want to send the message that this is a very important region in the world and, as much as we have been involved in advocacy in foreign markets we want them to know that while they can come to us, we can also come to them,” Stark says.
Responsible for all forms of IP in her role at Fox, Stark is keen that trademarks in particular are given even more recognition by INTA this year. It is this thought which turns the subject to another of her main goals: connecting brands with innovation.
“When I think of innovation, it is traditionally a dialogue in the public discourse captured more by technology and patents. However, I believe there is a very strong nexus between brands and innovation,” Stark says.
“Brands help innovation take hold and some names, for example Apple, are virtually synonymous with innovation. Establishing the connection between brands and innovation and to communicate that in a way that resonates with the public is vitally important.”
Stark’s third goal relates to the committee structure within the organisation and could result in changes.
“At heart we are a volunteer organisation, so of course member satisfaction is of great importance,” says Stark (below).
