INTA News

World Intellectual Property Day: INTA Highlights Women and Innovation

Published: April 26, 2018

For the International Trademark Association (INTA), this year’s World Intellectual Property Day could not have had a more appropriate theme: Powering Change: Women in innovation and creativity. It’s a topic that has been weaving through INTA’s activities in the past few months, in addition to on World IP Day itself-April 26, 2018.

For one, INTA’s 2018 President, as well as half of its Board of Directors are women-all of whom are contributing to powering change and embracing innovation at the Association and in the industry.

Tish Berard, INTA’s 2018 President and Chair of the Board of Directors, is using her leadership role as a way to inspire women in the IP world.

“By sharing the story of my own career as an example and displaying strong leadership in my role as INTA President, I hope to inspire women in our industry and show that, ‘If I can do it, you can do it,'” said Ms. Berard.

Secondly, INTA’s 2018-2021 Strategic Plan highlights “embracing innovation and change” as one of its three major strategic objectives. The other two are: promoting the value of trademarks and brands, and reinforcing consumer trust.

Why innovation? As noted in the Strategic Plan, “Innovation inspires. Companies and consumers are embracing innovation at a faster pace than ever before. Consumer values and needs are also evolving. INTA will monitor change and innovation, assess its impact on brands, and provide support and value to its members.”

INTA will look to evaluate changes as a result of technology, innovation and evolving consumer needs and values. Through different tasks forces and committees, INTA is analyzing changes, studying correlations between brands and innovation and assessing potential impacts on brand owners.

INTA will continue to educate members on the impact of innovation, technology, and change on brands, and will remain a forum of discussion and knowledge sharing for its members.   INTA also plans to take advantage of innovation and technology, identifying trends and providing enhanced and innovative services to members.

Lastly, INTA’s focus on innovation was brought to the forefront recently when the Association focused its March 2018 conference in New York City on this subject. Titled Brands and Innovation, the conference showcased two women speakers who delivered galvanizing addresses to the crowd.

Entrepreneur Caterina Fake, the founder of Yes VC and co-founder of Flickr, stressed the importance of having “the guts” to go into the unknown. “There is always something to learn,” said Ms. Fake. “Find a parade and get in front of it.”  

The other speaker illustrates how women can power change even at a very young age. Teenager Natalie Hampton delivered an inspirational keynote about the journey that led her to develop an anti-bullying app, Sit With Us.   “A simple act of kindness can change lives,” she declared. Then, she urged the audience, “So what will you do next?”

During her opening remarks at Brands and Innovation, Ms. Berard said there is a “clear relationship” between brands and innovation.

“Brands drive innovation, and at the same time, it is critical that brands remain innovative in order to evolve, to thrive, and maintain relevance in the marketplace,” she said.

Beyond these efforts, INTA celebrated World IP Day today and throughout the past week with various events around the world that shine the spotlight on the day’s theme.

Today, in Washington, D.C., INTA joined the World Intellectual Property Organization, the American Intellectual Property Law Association, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Global IP Center, The American Bar Association’s Section on Intellectual Property Law, and the Copyright Society of the USA in a Powering Change event on Capitol Hill coordinated by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to celebrate women in innovation and creativity.

Ayala Deutsch, Executive Vice President & Deputy General Counsel at National Basketball Association (NBA) Properties, Inc., and Vice President of the INTA Board, is among the speakers who shared personal insights on women and leadership within the IP world.

“INTA and the trademark community at large are committed to advocating for diversity in all forms, including gender diversity,” said Ms. Deutsch. “Today we proudly honor all women who continue to drive change throughout the field of intellectual property.”

Among other events that INTA participated in to commemorate World IP Day:

In Brunei, Laos, Myanmar, and Singapore, INTA has been supporting a series of events with other organizations and government bodies, including one held on April 24 in Singapore which brought together panels of corporate legal counsel, young entrepreneurs, and vibrant start-ups who are collectively powering change through innovation and creativity. In Laos, INTA participated in a week-long celebration at the IP Fair 2018, organized by the Lao Women’s Union and the Ministry of Science and Technology.  

On April 25, in conjunction with the U.S.   Congressional Trademark Caucus, INTA hosted a sports industry briefing on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. with the Global Innovation Policy Center. The briefing featured remarks by Congressional Trademark Caucus Chairs Senator Chris Coons (D-DE), Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator Vishal Amin.

Coming up on April 27, INTA will participate in a panel discussion in Brussels sponsored by the USPTO which will include representatives of the U.S. Mission to the European Union, European Commission, European Patent Office, World Customs Organization, and the Digital Leadership Institute.

Also on April 27, the Association will attend a conference in New Delhi hosted by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry that hails innovation and creativity among women entrepreneurs.

World IP Day may be just one day, but its theme is one that INTA intends to carry out for the long term.