Brand & New

We're diving into a challenge that's been brewing in the world of intellectual property (IP) for quite some time: The public's misunderstanding of IP, particularly trademarks. 

Earlier this year, an INTA Presidential Task Force published a report titled Unlocking IP. The report shed light on a critical issue: the consequences of inaccurate or incomplete IP reporting in mainstream media. The message was clear—the media bears a responsibility to educate the public accurately on IP matters.

In this episode of Brand and New, we're turning the tables.  

We're exploring the perspective of a visionary media CEO and a seasoned IP journalist, both experts at navigating and communicating intricate subjects in our rapidly evolving media landscape. Nicholas Thompson is the CEO of The Atlantic and Trevor Little is Managing Editor of IAM and World Trademark Review. Mr. Little is also a long-time INTA member and one of two INTA members who led the Unlocking IP Presidential Task Force.

Related Resources 

• About Nicholas Thompson 
• About Trevor Little 
• Unlocking IP Presidential Task Force Report  
• Unlocking IP Press Release 
• Unlocking IP: INTA’s Media Mission (INTA Bulletin, July 2024)

Whether they discover new brands on social media or loyally purchase the same brands as their grandparents, consumers today encounter a variety of products and services designed to satisfy their diverse needs and preferences. The sum of these purchases is a core driver of economic growth. 

 In today’s economy, intangible assets play a large role in shaping customer behavior and purchasing habits. Consumers are anticipating a logo, recalling a jingle, or associating a product with an influencer. How does a company determine which of these marketing assets to invest in? How do investors assess the company’s intellectual property (IP) to calculate future returns? And how can governments understand whether the businesses in their jurisdiction are creating IP that is likely to fuel economic growth? 

Brand valuation provides a way to standardize questions such as these. Instead of having to subjectively describe why a brand is valuable, an organization can now quantify, assess, and benchmark intangible assets, and strategize accordingly, through brand valuation exercises.

INTA is approaching the valuation and commercialization of brands as a strategic priority within in 2022–2025 Strategic Plan. The Association is committed to provide brand professionals with a solid understanding of brand valuation and evaluation, to help them become key partners to their finance teams and effectively communicate the value of trademarks to both members of the C-suite and externally. Earlier this year, INTA recently published the Presidential Task Force Report on IP Reporting for Brands. Valuation methodologies are also covered in its Finance for Non-Finance Legal Professionals Certificate Program.

Today’s guest is David Haigh, the founder and CEO of Brand Finance Plc. He is a pioneer and foremost expert in brand valuation. He has worked in the field of branded business, and brand and intangible asset valuation since 1991 and, since 1995, has specialized entirely in this area.

Mr. Haigh has represented the British Standards Institution in the working parties responsible for crafting international industry standards and has authored many articles on brand valuation, having been published in numerous marketing and finance newspapers and magazines, including Accountancy Age, the Financial Times, and Marketing Week. He has also lectured on the topic of brand valuation at business schools around the world.

Mr. Haigh graduated from Bristol University with an English degree, qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Price Waterhouse in London, and obtained a postgraduate diploma in Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM). He is a Fellow of The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and has a practicing certificate with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW).

Related Resources

• About David Haigh
• About the Brand Finance Institute
• Brands: Past, Present, and Future (Brand & New, July 2024)
• IP Reporting for Brands Presidential Taskforce Report (INTA, 2024)
• Finance for Non-Finance Legal Professionals Certificate Program (INTA)

This is the third episode in the “Women Leaders Series,” a collaboration between Brand & New and The Women’s LeadershIP Initiative. It brings together women leaders in diverse roles and representing various organization types in the brands and IP ecosystem. These women are at the forefront of industry trends and the conversation around how the landscape for women leaders is being shaped today.

Our guest today is Dr. Joanna Seddon, Founder and Managing Partner at brand consultancy Presciant, where she specializes in helping clients maximize the financial potential of their brand and marketing strategies. 

Before founding Presciant, Dr. Seddon was Principal and Global Managing Partner, Brand Consulting, at Ogilvy for 10 years. At Ogilvy, she developed a new focus on branding in M&A and brand architecture and portfolio strategy. 

Dr. Seddon was previously the founder and CEO of Millward Brown/Kantar’s global brand consulting practice. In this role, she was responsible for the development of fresh approaches to brand and marketing strategy. This included the creation and implementation of the BrandZ Top 100 ranking of the world’s most valuable brands, published annually in the Financial Times.

Prior to joining Kantar, Dr. Seddon was a founding partner and Executive Vice President for Worldwide Strategy at FutureBrand, pioneering the integration of brand strategy and brand identity. 

Notably, Dr. Seddon is also CEO of the Marketing Accountability Standards Board (MASB) since 2022, leading the trustees of the Marketing Accountability Foundation and MASB staff.

Dr. Seddon has more than 20 years of experience in providing strategic recommendations with measurable financial impact to leading clients worldwide and is recognized as a global expert on brand positioning, brand architecture, brand valuation, branding in M&A, brand and marketing investment, brand measurement and ROI and growth strategies. 

Dr. Seddon holds a Doctorate from Oxford University and is well known as a speaker and writer on brand strategy, brand valuation, and marketing ROI issues. She is the author of The Brand in the Boardroom, which won the WPP top Atticus prize, and has also collaborated with Jim Stengel, former CMO of P&G on several books, including Grow and Unleashing the Innovators, an analysis of how to infuse innovation and modernity into established brands by taking them into new areas and partnerships. 

 Resources:

•  About Joanna Seddon
• The Marketing Accountability Standards Board
• The Brand in the Boardroom (Ogilvy, 2014)
• Intellectual Property Reporting for Brands Presidential Taskforce Report (INTA, 2024)
• International IP Accounting Standards Board Resolution (INTA, 2022)

The European Union formed in 1992 with the signing of the Maastricht Treaty in the city located at southern tip of the Netherlands. 12 counties initially joined the EU, and this has since grown to 27 member states. The European Union was once described as the “grand experiment.” Experiments are not without challenges… and setbacks. The exit of the United Kingdom—or Brexit—in 2020 was a major disappointment for the EU, but it has otherwise proven successful, albeit fragile and, in many respects, continues to strengthen as a unified citizen-led democracy.

 The last few years have been tough on the EU. Economic uncertainty, rising inflation, and high energy prices, largely linked to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, have left Europeans with a deepening sense of pessimism. In a survey of Europeans in the 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer, only 20 percent agreed that they or their family will be better off in next five years. Trust in government is low and there is a deepening divide on critical issues. 

 At the same time, the EU is the largest single market globally today. With a population approaching 450 million people and a GDP of €16 trillion, if it was a country, it would be the world’s third largest (by both these metrics). The EU is ultimately a political and economic partnership, but it faces similar challenges to other economies. And these challenges are frequently compounded by the need to find consensus—and often compromise—among the 27 member states on very complex issues. No doubt, that is essentially how democracy works—it’s difficult by design—but the EU government and member states do just that: They find consensus and compromises, and they legislate. A recent example is the Artificial Intelligence Act, the first-ever legal framework on AI, which was unanimously endorsed by all 27 member states.

 Our guest today is Karen Melchior. In 2019, Ms. Melchior became a Member of the European Parliament (MEP). Frustrated with the state of politics in both Denmark and the EU, she first ran for office in 2014 and was elected the following year to the Copenhagen City Council, where she served on the Social Committee and the Health and Care Committee. 

 Ms. Melchior has worked as a diplomat for the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in data protection law and IT security at the Danish Agency for Labor Market and Recruitment. She holds an MA in Law and a Masters of Public Administration.

 As a MEP, Ms. Melchior serves on three committees: Legal Affairs, Women’s Rights and Gender Equality, and Internal Market and Consumer Protection. She is also a member of Renew Europe, the third-largest political group in the European Parliament.

 In an online biography, Ms. Melchior said the following: “Political systems are created by people. They can also be changed by people. We cannot afford to let our frustrations grow to the point where they overshadow our capacity for action. Hate can be triggered as easily as hope. The society we have built, based on cooperation and freedom, is fragile. We need to fight every day to sustain it. We can achieve a lot if we dare to try! Let’s roll up our sleeves, lift our gaze, and work together to create the kind of world we want.”

 Resources:

•  About MEP Karen Melchior (European Commission)
•  About MEP Karen Melchior
• The EU Artificial Intelligence Act
• Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence (European Commission) 

Today is World Intellectual Property (IP) Day. Established by the World Intellectual Property Organization— or WIPO—in 2000, World IP Day serves to raise awareness of the positive role of IP—including copyright, designs, patents, and trademarks—in society and in the daily lives of consumers, and to celebrate IP as a driver of innovation, creativity, and economic development. WIPO selected April 26 for World IP Day as it was on this day in 1970 that the Convention Establishing WIPO entered into force.

Each year, World IP Day focuses on a specific theme. This year, it looks at the ways in which IP is advancing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals—or SDGs. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all UN Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 SDGs, which are an urgent call for action by all countries—developed and developing—in a global partnership. They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.

Titled, “IP and the SDGs: Building our common future with innovation and creativity,” World IP Day 2024 looks at how we need to re-think how we live, work, and play, if we are to build a common future and achieve the SDGs. It is an opportunity to explore how IP encourages and amplifies the innovative and creative solutions that are so crucial to building our common future, and how inventors, creators, and entrepreneurs can benefit from IP to achieve their own goals while also heling improve people’s lives and safeguard our planet in line with the SDGs.

Our guest today is Edward Kwakwa, Assistant Director General, Global Challenges and Partnerships Sector, at WIPO. The Global Challenges and Partnerships Sector covers issues relating to traditional knowledge, traditional cultural expressions, and genetic resources. It also leads WIPO’s efforts to work with other UN agencies and international organizations on cross-cutting global issues; builds on and expands partnerships with stakeholders, including those from international, business, and civil society sectors; and builds bridges with new stakeholders.

ADG Kwakwa served as General Counsel at WIPO from 2004 until September 2016. He holds an LL.B. degree from the University of Ghana, an LL.M. from Queen’s University in Canada, and an LL.M. and a J.S.D. from Yale Law School in the United States. Before joining WIPO, he practiced with the law firm of O’Melveny and Myers in Washington, D.C., worked as International Legal Adviser at the Commission on Global Governance in Geneva, Switzerland, as Senior Legal Adviser at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and as Legal Affairs Officer at the World Trade Organization. 

 Resources:

•  About Edward Kwakwa
•  About World IP Day
•  WIPO’s Global Challenges and Partnerships Sector
•  The United Nation’s SDGs

This is the second episode of the “Women Leaders Series,” a collaboration between Brand & New and The Women’s LeadershIP Initiative. The series celebrates the unique leadership qualities of women, including their collaborative and empathetic approach to success. It brings together women leaders in diverse roles and represents various organization types in the brands and IP ecosystem. These women are at the forefront of industry trends and the conversation around how the landscape for women leaders is being shaped today.

Today is International Women’s Day. Held annually on March 8, International Women's Day is a global celebration of the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. In recognition of this, today’s episode of Brand & New previews INTA’s soon-to-be-published “gender indicator study.” 

Last year, a diverse project team of INTA members developed a survey investigating how gender affects the experience of trademark practitioners in the workplace, with a focus on representation, career progression, and work-life integration. The survey was sent out to INTA members late last year and respondents, including both men and women, from more than 90 jurisdictions participated and shared their views. 

Given the global and diverse nature of our community, the research aims to uncover deep insight into the gender-based experiences of trademark practitioners around the world today, reveal the key indicators shaping those experiences and defining our workplace, and capture how IP professionals feel about their own experiences. While the survey suggests that progress is being made, there is still much to be done to truly improve the experiences of women in the trademark field.

Our guests are Rachel Armstrong, Shwetasree Majumder, and Muireann Bolger. Ms. Armstrong is a Partner at Gowling WLG and based in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Rachel serves on the Women’s LeadershIP Initiative Project Team and on INTA’s Brands and Innovation Committee. Ms. Majumder is a Managing Partner of Fidus Law Chambers, based in Nodia, India. She serves on the INTA’s DEI Council and the Enforcement Committee. She is also a past board member. And, Ms. Bolger is Deputy Group Editor at World IP Review, based in London, England. She takes the lead on all DEI-related coverage for World IP Review and is a co-author of INTA’s gender indictor story.

 
Resources:

•  About Rachel Armstrong
•  About Shwetasree Majumder
•  About Muireann Bolger
•  International Women’s Day 2024 (internationalwomensday.com)
•  The Women’s LeadershIP Initiative (inta.org)
•  World IP Review’s Diversity Channel (worldipreview.com)
•  Women Leaders Series: Advancing Athlete Rights (Brand & New, February 2024)
•  Striving for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as an Outside IP Counsel (Brand & New, April 2022)
•  Women’s Empowerment in Intellectual Property (Brand & New, March 2022)

The World Wide Web launched in the public domain on April 30, 1993, a little over 30 years ago. It was a major technological leap forward for humanity. It was a game changer, full of possibility… and uncertainty. 

 Experts are reminding us a lot lately that artificial intelligence (AI) has also been around for many decades. Nevertheless, much like the Internet in the 1990s, ChatGPT becoming publicly available in November 2022 represents another paradigm shift for humanity and its relationship with technology. One billion ChatGPT web visits took place following its launch. According to PwC, AI is predicted to contribute $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030. Yes, the stakes are high. Yes, it’s a game changer. Yes, it’s full of possibility… and uncertainty.

 Last month, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) released a study predicting that AI will affect close to 40 percent of all jobs. For some, it will be beneficial, boosting their productivity. For almost everyone else, their jobs are at risk. This report was published as business and political leaders from around the world prepared to gather in Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum, where AI took center stage. Highlighting the apprehension around this “disruptive” technology, the response from governments has been surprisingly swift. A number of countries signed a declaration on the safe development of the technology at an AI Safety Summit hosted by the UK late last year. And we’re seeing increased regulation around the world, including in the European Union, China, and the U.S., meaning in the world’s largest economies. 

 As businesses across all sectors explore AI’s potential, they must also wade through its unknowns and navigate evolving regulation. In other words, they must innovate and use AI responsibly. 

Our guest today is Jon Iwata. He is an Executive Fellow at the Yale School of Management where he co-leads a program studying the leadership implications of stakeholder capitalism. He also directs the Data & Trust Alliance, a not-for-profit organization established in 2020 by CEOs of major companies including American Express, Johnson & Johnson, Nike, Pfizer, Starbucks, and Walmart. The Alliance develops and promotes the adoption of responsible data and AI practices. Among his various accolades and accomplishments, Mr. Iwata is also the co-inventor of a U.S. patent for a nanotechnology and process for atomic-scale semiconductors.

 Resources:

•  About Jon Iwata
•  The Data & Trust Alliance
•  AI Will Transform the Global Economy. Let’s Make Sure It Benefits Humanity. (IMF, January 2024)
•  AI - artificial intelligence - at Davos 2024: What to know (WEF, January 2024)
•  AI and the Legal World: A Revolution Happening in Real Time (Brand & New, November 2023)
•  Will AI Take Your Job? (INTA Daily News, May 2023)
•  How AI Will Impact Trademarks (INTA Daily News, May 2023)

This episode of Brand & New is the first in the “Women Leaders Series,” hosted in collaboration with The Women’s LeadershIP Initiative. INTA launched The Women’s LeadershIP Initiative to champion and advance women’s leadership in intellectual property. The Initiative also provides the Association with a vehicle for sustained programs to help women in the IP community advance their careers and achieve professional success.

The “Women Leaders Series” brings together women leaders in diverse roles and representing various organization types in the brands and IP ecosystem. They are at the forefront of the conversation around how the landscape for women leaders is being shaped today.

Our guest today is Malaika Underwood. Ms. Underwood is CEO of Sandlot Technology Incorporated. She also retired from the USA Baseball Women’s National Team last year with the record for longest-tenured player on a USA Baseball National Team, man or woman. She earned five Women’s Baseball World Cup medals, as well as two Women’s Baseball World Cup All-Tournament Team selections. In 2015, she was honored by USA Baseball as Sportswoman of the Year. Currently, Ms. Underwood is an Assistant Coach for the USA Baseball Women’s National Team.

Ms. Underwood has over 17 years of experience as a sports business executive. Before joining Sandlot, Ms. Underwood served as interim CEO at OneTeam Partners. OneTeam launched in 2019 as a joint venture between the NFL Players Association, MLB Players Association, and RedBird Capital to maximize the collective value of athletes’ rights through group licensing, marketing, media, and other ventures.

As interim CEO, Underwood managed the company through a major transition following the founding CEO’s departure and guided the company through the final months of the sale of Redbird Capital’s equity. That transaction valued OneTeam at US $1.8 billon.

Ms. Underwood also developed and executed the strategy for OneTeam’s college business, creating the largest group rights program in the world. Prior to assuming the interim CEO role, Ms. Underwood was Senior Vice President of Licensing where she provided oversight for the company’s growing consumer products business.

In 2021, Ms. Underwood was named one of Sports Business Journal’s 40 Under 40. In the same year, the United States Supreme Court issued a unanimous ruling in NCAA v. Alston, paving the way for college athletes to profit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights for the first time. Unlike professional athletes, amateurs cannot be paid for their contributions to a team. While this has not changed, the NCAA has been forced to change its rules regarding NIL rights of student athletes. This has been a game changer for sports. Ms. Underwood is not only an expert on the topic, she is also deeply passionate about it!

Resources:

• Malaika Underwood – Athlete Bio (teamusa.com)
• Supreme Court Strikes NCAA’s Limits on Education-Related Benefits for Student Athletes (U.S. News, June 2021)
• Malaika Underwood: Writing Her Own Story (usabaseball.com, February 2021)
• Forty Under 40: Malaika Underwood (Sports Business Journal, June 2021)
• Three Questions for Malaika Underwood (INTA Bulletin, November 2023)
• The Women’s LeadershIP Initiative (inta.org)

After five years, around 100 episodes and countless great moments as your host, Audrey Dauvet is stepping away from the microphone to embark on a new journey. Brand & New will continue to flourish, to explore the new and emerging topics around innovation, intellectual property (IP), and beyond. A new tremendously talented team led by INTA will be the new voice, curating experiences and stories that will resonate with listeners.  Their passion and dedication to fostering a connected listener community mirrors the essence that Brand & New has always strived for. 

For this episode, who could be a better guest than INTA CEO Etienne Sanz de Acedo, who has supported this podcast from day one. Mr. Sanz de Acedo has been deeply involved in the world of IP throughout his career, advocating for the protection and development of trademarks on a global scale. Under his leadership since 2013, INTA has worked toward enhancing consumer trust, economic growth, and innovation across international borders. He’s been an influential figure, steering INTA towards impactful advocacy, educational initiatives, and member services worldwide. Prior to leading INTA, Mr. Sanz de Acedo had a rich history of more than 15 years working within the European Union IP Office and in private practice. His strategic acumen and forward-thinking approach have been pivotal in navigating through multifaceted challenges and opportunities raised by the digital age and globalization.

Brand & New is a production of the International Trademark Association
Hosted by Audrey Dauvet - Contribution of M. Halle & S. Lagedamond - Music by JD Beats

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT INTA.ORG

To go further about Etienne Sanz de Acedo:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/etienne-sanz-de-acedo-6b355873/

Also of interest:
About INTA

INTA’s Strategic Plan