Unreal Campaign Enters Seventh Year Strong - International Trademark Association

INTA’s Unreal Campaign has been educating teenagers since 2012 about the value of trademarks and brands-and the dangers of purchasing counterfeit goods.

A 2019 Presidential Priority

With outreach to 40,000+ students globally in 36 countries since its launch, the Unreal Campaign is continuing to expand its global footprint through increased direct engagement, student presentations, and enhanced online content in 2019.

This year, INTA’s President, David Lossignol (Novartis Pharma AG, Switzerland), has identified the Unreal Campaign as a presidential priority. Calling it a “gem in INTA,” Mr. Lossignol has expressed his focus on further spreading the message about the dangers of counterfeit products and maximizing the reach of the campaign. This initiative continues to underscore the Association’s commitment to its Strategic Plan, specifically Strategic Direction II: Reinforcing Consumer Trust.

Engaging Directly in Local Schools, Globally

The Unreal Campaign aims to teach teenagers directly, through student presentations and active participation at youth-related conferences. Thanks to the efforts of the Unreal Campaign Committee and other INTA member volunteers, the Unreal Campaign has reached 36 countries since its launch, and has been presented in six different languages-including Afrikaans English, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, and Italian. During the 2018‒2019 period alone, the Unreal Campaign hosted 79 direct engagement events, reaching more than 7,600 students in 20 different countries. In 2018, the reach of this initiative expanded to six new countries (Ecuador, Paraguay, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Uruguay, and Venezuela) and 18 new cities.

“The opportunity to engage and connect with young consumers is unparalleled,” says INTA Unreal Campaign Committee Chair Daniela Rojas (Pirkey Barber, USA). “It provides a rewarding space to share knowledge and insight about intellectual property with students and educators. I personally enjoy working collaboratively with the global INTA community in guiding young consumers to understand the value of trademarks and brands.”

Expanding Social Media Outreach

The Unreal Campaign has aggressive digital goals. Since its social media launch in late 2018, and working in partnership with a digital agency, the Unreal Campaign has reached more than 480,000 users, mainly through “Spot the Fake” and “Stats and Facts” content posted on both Instagram and Facebook. The “Spot the Fake” concept uses photographs of donated samples from brand owners to prompt users to identify the differences between real and fake products, while the concept of “Stats and Facts” provides hard-hitting data about the reality and the dangers of counterfeit goods.

The ultimate goal is to create an online community where teens can teach and engage with each other. To this purpose, “Spot the Fake” social media posts invite users to interact digitally with the campaign, providing a space where they can ask questions and learn more about how to identify fake goods.

“Users love our ‘Spot the Fake’ concept, but it is not possible to pursue without the help of our INTA members,” said INTA Associate, Strategic Partnerships & Unreal Campaign, Catherine Shen. “As INTA members, you have a unique opportunity to engage with young consumers through the Unreal Campaign. By donating samples of genuine and counterfeit goods, you can help us educate teenagers about the dangers of fake products through brands that they know and love. We need your help to spread our message.”

The Unreal Campaign’s 2019 online goals are focused on increasing reach, engagement, and number of followers on both Instagram and Facebook. None of this would have been possible without the Unreal Campaign’s 2019 Sponsors.

Get Involved

The Unreal Campaign is constantly looking for dynamic presenters to bring the initiative to local schools; brand owners to donate samples of genuine and counterfeit goods; and new sponsors to support all its activities. Get involved today and educate the leaders of tomorrow.

Be on the lookout for the Unreal Campaign team situated near the Information Booth during INTA’s 2019 Annual Meeting in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, to learn more about this initiative.

Additionally, you can also visit inta.org/Unreal or contact INTA’s Unreal Campaign Associate Catherine Shen at [email protected].

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