Adidas-Salomon Emerging Markets and Middle East authorities have stepped up their campaigns against counterfeit goods, with the latest action in Saudi Arabia, which has resulted in raiding one of the main dealers in counterfeit adidas branded items in the Kingdom.
In the latest event, a raid against a counterfeit trader in Saudi Arabia took place last week. The Saudi authorities have seized more than 33 million pieces of counterfeit adidas branded items ranging from children's clothing to sporting equipment. The interrogation of the defendant trader is ongoing.
Adidas-Salomon launched a special campaign through a print advertising, warning traders against the legal complications that they may face for illegally trading in counterfeit adidas goods.
To meet the challenges, the company's Intellectual Property department was established in 1997 and is responsible for all aspects of the group's trademarks, designs and patents and not just anti-counterfeiting and litigation. The IP department consists of a team of 19 lawyers, paralegal, brand protection managers and assistants.
In the last three years more than 14 million adidas counterfeits were seized and more than €10 million in damages was recovered. Almost five million adidas counterfeit products were seized in 2002 alone and more than five million euros were recovered in compensation. — (menareport.com)
© 2003 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
