THE ANTICOUNTERFEITING NATIONAL PROGRAM

It is said in a famous quote that every brand is a product, but not every product is a brand. A brand represents much more than a product.

Specialists say that “A brand is a complex symbol. The brand is the sum of the characteristics of the product, its name, wrap, price, history, reputation, promotion. A brand is also defined by consumers’ impressions who used it, as well as their own experience related to it” (David Ogilvy - public relations specialist). That is why, preserving these inner characteristics of the product also means preserving the quality. In this way, the anticounterfeiting struggle is of global importance, as much as counterfeiting of products has got to industrial and international dimensions.

Counterfeiting involves one of the next actions:

  • Fraudulent imitation with the purpose of misleading the beneficiary
  • Resamblance to the original product
  • Identical or cvasi-identical reproduction of a registered brand for identical or similar products
  • Manufacturing of the label, wraps, containing reproductions of the brand or taking advantage of the good name of a notorious brand

    • Other actions related to counterfeiting are also misleading of consumer by marketing of products with almost identicasl fonetic name of a registered brand, for identical or similar products.

    Counterfeiting steals the identity of some notorious brands, but also steals consumers’ expectations, such as confort, trust and personal security.

    Some people believe that counterfeiting is “crime without victims” and copying remains just “a way of recognizing the value”. This vision does not corespond to the consequences: in fact, the impact of counterfeited goods on brands’ owners, consumers and on national economy can not be minimalized. The high level of counterfeited products shows along the consumers’ preference for the branded products, the ability of those who counterfeit to adapt to the trends of the market and to realize enormous profits after selling the counterfeited products.

    Statistically speaking, the selling of counterfeited goods represent 5% of the world’s commerce and also creates an illicit profit of 250 billion euros. As a consequence of this fact, over 200 000 jobs are canceled in Europe and USA.