Awareness is the greatest agent for change1 and to bring about an effective change it is necessary to garner the support of the key members of the society –the youth. In a young country like India, where there has been a considerable increase in brand awareness it is necessary to educate the young shoppers and future technology developers about the 'unreal' brands i.e. fake products floating openly in the markets. The sale of counterfeits is not only illegal bit also unethical; it snatches the original brand owner's right to profit from its creation and also cheats the consumers into buying a possibly lower quality product while they are under the impression of purchasing the real product. The differentiation of right from wrong has to be instilled at the influential age of 16-18 and it is because of this reason that INTA has initiated this unreal campaign.
This is a worldwide initiative, with the brightest minds in the world of Intellectual Property rights addressing students and educating them about their duty as a responsible citizen to choose wisely while purchasing goods. Dr. Mohan Dewan, an eminent personality in the International as well as Indian Intellectual Property community, will be participating in this event embarking change. He is also addressing INTA's 2016 delegation to India on March 2nd, 2016 in Mumbai, and will be sharing his views on India's emergence as global economic powerhouse and the need for awareness among trademark owners to successfully protect their marks. It is necessary for the people to learn from experiences of enriched speakers and make the choice of being vigilant about intellectual property rights.
In the words of Alfred (Batman), "He can make the choice that no one else can make, the right choice." These initiatives of INTA can be stepping stones towards greater awareness and hence, change in the society.
Footnote
1 Eckhart Tolle.
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