Three Questions for Adjoa Anim: IP and Innovation

Adjoa Anim (HGF, United Kingdom)

In the constantly evolving intellectual property (IP) landscape, it is becoming essential that brand professionals broaden their knowledge across a wide variety of trademark-related and complementary topics, including, but in no way limited to, digital advertising, designs, copyrights, domain name enforcement, greenwashing, and Indigenous rights. The IP and Beyond journey falls under the IP and Innovation Track of educational programing at the 2024 Annual Meeting, which is taking place in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, May 18–22. This “journey” will feature educational sessions that cover in-depth IP-related topics and trends at the intersection of complementary rights, consumer behavior insights, ethical considerations, and the ever-changing global marketplace.

Adjoa Anim is the Trade Mark Director at HGF (United Kingdom). She is currently serving on the Brands and Sustainability Committee and the 2024 Annual Meeting Project Team. Ms. Anim will moderate a session entitled Green Marks: A Comparative Review of Greenwashing Challenges in Common Law and Civil Law Jurisdictions, which will examine the challenges brands may encounter when selecting and protecting trademarks that carry an environmental message.

In an interview with the INTA Bulletin, Ms. Anim explains why the Annual Meeting educational program has been divided into a series of journeys and how registrants will benefit from this approach, and shares what registrants can expect from both her session and, more broadly, from the IP and Innovation Track.

The educational sessions are divided into a series of “journeys” along different themes. What is the rationale behind this approach to the educational programming?
The idea of dividing the educational programming of INTA’s 2024 Annual Meeting into different “journeys” is to give registrants the opportunity to build their schedule according to their thematic interests and what they are looking to gain from the Meeting. Registrants know that, in addition to the robust educational programming, INTA’s Annual Meeting presents a myriad of offerings: Table Topics, Speed Networking, Business Development excursions, the Innovation Marketplace, Committee Meetings, and the opportunity to explore our host city, Atlanta. Having themed journeys allows registrants to identify educational sessions aligned with their own needs and interests so they can organize their schedule and plan ahead. At the same time, they can take advantage of all the other activities and networking opportunities available at the Annual Meeting.

A key benefit of organizing the educational programming this way is that sessions from each journey are scheduled at the same time each day to take registrants through a smaller theme under the more extensive track, which, in my case, is the IP and Innovation Track. For example, I am moderating a session entitled Green Marks: A Comparative Review of Greenwashing Challenges in Common Law and Civil Law Jurisdictions. This session is part of the IP and Beyond journey. All educational sessions within this journey are scheduled from Monday, May 20 through Wednesday, May 22, during two time slots: 10:15 am–11:15 am and 3:45 pm–4:45 pm. Other journeys have different time slots. This makes it easier for registrants to plan their Annual Meeting activities around these different journeys.

You are part of the Project Team for the IP and Innovation Track of programming, which includes four journeys: (1) IP and Beyond; (2) A Day in the Life; (3) Regional Updates; and (4) Capsule Keynotes. What advice do you have for registrants looking to join us on one or more of these journeys?
The IP and Innovation Track captures a key component of the educational program’s theme for the 2024 Annual Meeting, The Business of Innovation. We know that creativity, change, and technology are transforming how IP professionals conduct business, and the educational sessions of this Track focus on practical tips and advice from recognized IP professionals to navigate this evolving landscape.

The four journeys capture different aspects of this dynamic environment:

IP and Beyond sessions explore the intersection of trademarks and complementary rights and new trends;

A Day in the Life sessions offer practical aspects and real-world scenarios surrounding a day in the life of IP professionals;

Regional Updates provide the latest developments in trademark law and practice within specific geographical regions and are a must for all doing business in those regions; and

Capsule Keynotes give a condensed exploration of insights and thought leadership around INTA’s recent research and Think Tank Reports.

My advice to registrants would be to think about what they want to gain from attending the 2024 Annual Meeting and then use these journeys as guidelines to build their daily schedule. This thematic division among journeys will be very useful for IP professionals who are at different stages in their careers. I would advise registrants to use these journeys to identify the best fits for their interests, as well as which sessions would most enrich their professional development. As the sessions within individual journeys take place simultaneously, plan with your colleagues in advance to determine who should attend which session, so you are not duplicating efforts.

You are leading a session on the topic of greenwashing. Why should this issue be on the radar of brand professionals?
I am excited about this session because we will get to hear from colleagues based in the European Union, South Africa, and the United States on a topic that is relevant to all of us as practitioners. These experts will provide their perspectives on the intersection of trademarks with other legal considerations that concern greenwashing, including advertising and anticounterfeiting. There has been a steady stream of discussion on the topic over the last couple of years, and we will be signposting new legislation on the horizon and providing key takeaways for practitioners to use in their practice.

This issue should be on the radar of brand professionals because sustainability has been, still is, and will be a significant consideration for brands and their related stakeholders. Adopting brands that carry environmental messages and/or extol green credentials should be executed with an awareness of the legal and practical considerations for greenwashing. I encourage registrants to sign up for the session and get insights from a mix of in-house and private practice practitioners—who manage global brand portfolios—on this topical subject and the associated complementary rights.

Learn more and register for the 2024 Annual Meeting. Early-Bird Registration closes March 8.

Although every effort has been made to verify the accuracy of this article, readers are urged to check independently on matters of specific concern or interest.

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