She outlined the importance of brands to the economy, and how research had revealed that jobs in IP-rich industries typically pay up to 40% more than jobs in other sectors. She said that online shopping site Taobao employs teams of people to remove fake products from the website and explained why they do it. “Fake products are often poor quality and they can harm you,” she said.
Eugene Low of Mayer Brown then introduced Hong Kong Intellectual Property Office (HKIPD) Director Peter Cheung, who outlined Hong Kong’s anti-fakes program. Retailers who pledge not to sell counterfeits in their shops can display an official No Fakes sign, giving shoppers confidence that the products they buy are genuine. He then taught the students a “No Fakes” song. Emily Wong of HKIPD, Vincent Lai of Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department and Fornia Lo of Gucci also spoke at the event, which was supported by Platinum Sponsor Estée Lauder and Silver sponsors Gucci and Fox.
