If you're heading to Singapore next week for INTA's annual meeting, you may see attendees wearing red, blue, green or yellow bracelets.
These aren't mere fashion accessories. In fact, they will form part of the Brand Action Color Challenge that intellectual property professionals will be joining.
The fundraiser for Brand Action, which aims to bring together the trademark community to support people in times of humanitarian crisis, will be held on Thursday, May 18, at the German-style pub Paulaner Bräuhaus. The event runs from 3.30pm to 6.30pm.
The challenge allows people to compete to raise money for the World Central Kitchen, a charity brand action is supporting this year that is devoted to providing meals in the wake of natural disasters.
Anyone who buys a ticket will receive a bracelet and be assigned to a team based on the bracelet’s colour. The team that raises the most money will be announced at the event.
At the time of publication, $750 had been raised by the green team, $635 from red, $630 from blue and $605 from yellow.
Proceeds from tickets, which are $100 each, and additional donations will go to the World Central Kitchen – though aren’t part of the colour challenge.
Brand Action has encouraged participants to take photos of their bracelets alongside objects of the same colour, or of an event sponsor wearing a bracelet, and post the pictures on Instagram.
Phil Cox, the New Jersey-based co-founder of Brand Action, encourages INTA attendees to find people with the same colour bracelets, take a picture together, and post it online.
“It’s something silly, but it allows us to develop new relationships as well. We want this to be in the trademark community spirit of making friends and extending our network in a fun way, but also help a good cause along the way.”
This competition is also encouraging those who can’t attend INTA in person to get involved.
“A lot of people won’t be going to Singapore this year, and we wanted to make an offering that would allow them to also take part in a Brand Action activity,” says Cox.
Paulina Rius, associate at Macdonel Uribe Cuesta Llaca & Esquivel in Mexico, suggested the idea of a colour challenge.
“We wanted people to interact with each other, and that’s why we decided to do a challenge. We also wanted to bring more exposure to Brand Action on social media,” she says.
Funds and awareness
Although the colour challenge promises to be good fun, the underlying event is in response to troubling times for many in the world.
Communities are trying to rebuild after an earthquake in February killed 50,783 people in Turkey and a further 8,476 in Syria.
Climate change is expected to drive more natural disasters, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues.
In addition to raising money for World Central Kitchen, the event is raising funds for the Leleka Foundation, which is focused on delivering medical supplies to Ukraine’s defenders and civilians.
Money from sponsorships will be used hire the venue, but the remaining funds will go to the Leleka Foundation, according to Cox. The event has 21 paid sponsors.
Cox says that although the fundraiser aims to make money, he also hopes it increases awareness of Brand Action.
“We see ourselves as a rallying post for people to get behind. This sets up a mechanism so people can jump on board easily and we can all do something to help,” he says.
Brand Action was founded in 2022, initially to help the people of Ukraine. The organisation has since expanded its efforts beyond that, and Cox notes that crises happen all over the world.
“Our community is very, very global. We wanted to be able to help our friends when it was their time of need and make sure the organisation can put some money in the right places when these crises happen.”
At the time of the interview, Cox said 260 tickets had been sold and that he expected the 420-capacity venue to sell out. Those that are interested can sign up here.
