NEW YORK - The International Trademark
Association (INTA) applauds the United States Senate for its unanimous passage
on July 24, 2018 of S. Res. 580, which recognizes and supports the need for
increased public awareness on the importance of trademarks as well as the goals
and ideals of the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s (USPTO) National Trademark
Exposition, held on July 27-July 28, 2018 at the Smithsonian’s National
Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. INTA specifically commends
Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Senator Chris Coons (D-DE), Co-Chairs of the
Congressional Trademark Caucus, for their authorship of S. Res.580.
S. Res. 580 is of particular
importance to INTA and its members in the United States and around the world,
as it underscores INTA’s strategic priorities of promoting the value of
trademarks and brands through the protection of trademarks and related
intellectual property, and reinforcing consumer trust by highlighting
trademarks as a source of information, and brands as a promise of delivery.
The Resolution couldn’t be
timelier. It powerfully brings attention to the value of trademarks and
critical issues such as counterfeiting that affect brand owners, the economy,
and society at large.
S. Res. 580 notes that
intellectual property “is instrumental to the economy of the United States by
fueling innovation and creating jobs” and a part of daily life—as evidenced in
a marketplace where “U.S. consumers encounter an average of 1,500 trademarks
each day.” The Resolution also acknowledges “the escalating threat counterfeit
goods pose to businesses and jobs” in the United States and emphasizes the
importance of Congress and consumers to understand the impact of counterfeit
goods on the economy and to the public’s health and safety.
Additionally, the Resolution
supports the USPTO’s 2018 National Trademark Exposition as an ideal opportunity
to increase public awareness of the social and economic value of trademarks,
encourage greater understanding on the importance of trademarks, and provide a
platform for an exchange of information between corporations, small businesses,
government agencies, nonprofits, and the public alike.
INTA is proud to be a part of the
2018 National Trademark Exposition and encourages the public to attend and
learn more. INTA President Tish Berard will participate in an Exposition panel
titled “Counterfeits and Con Artists: The Real Dangers and Costs of Fake
Goods,” and INTA’s Unreal Campaign—an initiative to educate teens about
counterfeiting and trademarks—will be exhibiting throughout the two-day event.