Webinar: A Winning Anti- Counterfeiting Strategy – …...Webinar: A Winning Anti-Counterfeiting...
Transcript of Webinar: A Winning Anti- Counterfeiting Strategy – …...Webinar: A Winning Anti-Counterfeiting...
Webinar: A Winning Anti-
Counterfeiting Strategy –
The Red Wing Shoes StoryThursday, June 26, 2014
AAFA Snapshot
Representing more than 1,000 world famous name brands, the
American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) is the trusted
public policy and political voice of the apparel and footwear
industry, its management and shareholders, its four million U.S.
workers, and its contribution of $350 billion in annual U.S. retail
sales.
AAFA stands at the forefront as a leader of positive change for the
apparel and footwear industry. With integrity and purpose, AAFA
delivers a unified voice on key legislative and regulatory issues.
AAFA enables a collaborative forum to promote best practices and
innovation. AAFA’s comprehensive work ensures the continued
success and growth of the apparel and footwear industry, its
suppliers, and its customers.
Learn more about how AAFA wears our mission at wewear.org >
Today’s Speakers
Michael McDonaldManager, Government RelationsAAFA
Bill RoginaMarketing Specialist,Red Wing Shoes
Shane WintersBrand Protection, Client Engagement ManagerMarkMonitor
Q&A
Agenda
� The Red Wing Shoes Story• Counterfeiting Challenge
• The Business Impact
• Scoping the Problem
• A Winning Anti-counterfeiting Strategy
• Measuring Success
• Scaling Our Anti-counterfeiting Strategy
� Anti-counterfeiting Best Practices
� Anti-counterfeiting Trends
Page 5
The Red Wing Shoes Story
Bill Rogina
Page 6
Red Wing Shoes
Page 7
� Red Wing Shoes History• American footwear company established in 1905
• Specializes in work boots and shoes for industries like mining, logging and farming
• Maintains the highest standard of excellence
� Red Wing Shoes Products • Work boots, hunting boots and hiking footwear
� Global Presence with International Distributors
� Leading Brands• Heritage Collection, Irish Setter, WORX, Vasque
Counterfeiting Challenge
Page 8
� Customer service team began receiving an influx of
product complaint calls
• Quality issues: Boots purchased online were falling apart
• However, we ONLY sell through retail stores – not online
� Further investigation revealed a significant online
counterfeit problem
The Business Impact
Page 9
� Quality control and consumer safety issues
� Risk of brand erosion, protecting a 100 year-old premium
brand
� Damaging effects could harm business reputation,
particularly as we expand into new markets
Taking Action
Page 10
� Marketing takes the lead, but fighting counterfeits is a
combined effort between Marketing and Legal
� Lack of internal bandwidth was an issue, one person is
focused on anti-counterfeiting
� Automated technology combined with 3rd party expertise
and support was the answer
Scoping the Problem
Page 11
� Large-scale, global problem across multiple channels:• Rogue Websites
• Marketplaces
• B2B Exchanges
• Paid Search
• Social Media
� Problems were especially prevalent in Asia and Russia
� Discovered fraudulent coupons and paid search scams in
addition to counterfeit goods
What We Found: Rogue Websites
Page 12
What We Found: Rogue Websites
Page 13
What We Found: Asian Marketplaces
Page 14
What We Found: Promotions on Social Media
Page 15
A Winning Anti-Counterfeiting Strategy
Page 16
Monitor, Prioritize and Enforce
� Continuously monitor distribution and promotional
channels in relevant regions
� Prioritize the worst offenders and automatically enforce in
bulk
• Focus on volume sellers, highly-trafficked websites and marketplaces – follow the traffic
� Be persistent with repeat offenders, escalate enforcement
measures as necessary
� Remain vigilant, become a hard target
Page 17
� Significant reduction in the number of customer
complaints
� Safeguarding integrity of the Red Wing Shoes brand
� Dramatic and steady decline in the number of counterfeit
listings and rogue websites
Measuring Success
Measuring Success: Before and After
Page 18
Number of domains needing review that abuse Red Wing and other brands
has significantly declined due to aggressive enforcement efforts.
Page 19
� Rolling out proven anti-counterfeiting strategy company-
wide—across all brands
� Educating internal stakeholders to raise awareness about
issues
� Making minor modifications to proven tactics to account for
regional differences
� Continuous corporate effort to protect the legacy of the Red
Wing Shoes brand
Scaling Our Anti-Counterfeiting Strategy
Anti-counterfeiting Best Practices and Trends
Shane Winters
Page 20
Page 21
� Attain Global Visibility
• Monitor major distribution and promotional channels
• Monitor regional marketplaces and B2B exchange sites
• Register your brand across these sites
� Be Proactive
• Watch for cyber squatters
• Become a difficult target by using all your weapons
� Act Swiftly—and Globally
• Infringement is more likely to removed the quicker you act
• Register trademarks internationally, bridging language hurdles
• Leverage local expertise
Anti-counterfeiting Best Practices
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� Develop a Cross-functional Team
� Educate Your Customers
• Make it easy for your brand loyalists to find your policy
and report counterfeits
• Seek out information from industry and trade
organizations
Anti-counterfeiting Best Practices (continued)
Page 23
Anti-counterfeiting Trends
� Advanced Anti-counterfeiting Technology and Rogue
Website Litigation
• Technology identifies ‘networks’ of rogue websites
• Understand scope and prioritize litigation targets
� Enables the timely and cost-effective removal of
rogue websites in high volume
� Has proven to be a highly successful strategy for
fashion brands
Thank You
•Bill RoginaMarketing SpecialistThe Red Wing Shoe [email protected]
•Shane WintersBrand Protection, Client Engagement [email protected]
•Michael McDonaldManager, Government [email protected]
• www.markmonitor.com
• www.wewear.org