The Brand Protection Professional (The BPP) VOLUME 1 | NUMBER 2 | Page 45

DECEMBER 2016 | VOLUME 1 | NUMBER 2 I see a direct link between the performances of the Specialized professional athletes and how hard the counterfeiters come after us. Peter Sagan just won his 2 nd consecutive world road championships. Whooo!! Everything he rides in, his bike, his helmet, his jersey, his wheels, is target #1. You have many athletes in your company, how do you predict what the next target will be? You hit the nail on the head – what’s currently popular is always targeted by infringers. Every WWE Superstar and Legend is a separate brand for us (and we have over 200), and we push those that get “hot” with audiences. The problem is that the infringers notice and do the same. So, the need to work closely with your other business units and leverage data via analytics is imperative. While you can never truly predict consumer behavior, different data sources are powerful tools in helping you to identify targets and spend your legal/ enforcement budget wisely. On the flip-side, you can always “pirate” the counterfeiters! There might be product you notice being sold illegitimately using your branded IP that appears to be popular in the marketplace. This information, in turn, can be used to create new Can we finish this legitimate channels or product lines for your brand! discussion with your personal mantra? Andrew, as you know, I always like to say, just as The Rock laid the “smackdown” to his opponents, I I like that better than my “ worrying” . Good luck! like to do the same to brand infringers all over the globe! 45