INTA unveils annual meeting plan
As the International Trademark Association’s (INTA) annual meeting goes virtual this November, the organisation is banking on content, pricing, and dating technology to ensure it is a success.
At a press briefing yesterday, July 2, INTA CEO Etienne Sanz de Acedo outlined the virtual environment of this year’s annual meeting, which will be combined with the association’s leadership meeting for the first time.
The annual meeting takes place from November 16-20, with leadership sessions beginning on November 13, committee meetings starting on November 10, and the online platform opening to all registrants on November 9.
Sanz de Acedo acknowledged potential attendance numbers as “the elephant in the room,” but noted that, among corporate members he’s spoken to, approximately 90% intend to bring at least the same number of people to the virtual meeting as they normally do to the physical versions, and in many cases more.
To encourage registration, INTA has reduced prices (by an average of 32% on the regular fees) and launched a ‘buy three, get one free’ offer for corporates and a ‘buy five, get one free’ offer for law firms and other associate members.
The association has also released a draft schedule including tracks on diversity and inclusion, and sessions in Mandarin. All content will be available on demand until “at least the end of the year,” Sanz de Acedo said.
Of course it is impossible to replicate the experience of a physical meeting in full, but the association is aiming high with a virtual exhibit hall, hospitality suites and social events, which may include everything from yoga to wine tasting. And Sanz de Acedo is confident that the association’s virtual networking solution will work well. By “taking tech from the dating industry,” the AI solution will match people based on their preferences in the hope of facilitating meetings between those who have something in common.
One of the biggest draws of the regular annual meeting is the various receptions organised throughout the week. Sanz de Acedo confirmed that the association would support firms looking to organise events inside the virtual platform, and that it would also be happy to explore integrating physical receptions into the offering in countries where those are possible.
Registration launches on July 6 for corporates and on July 13 for everyone else, with early bird rates available until July 21.
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