09-05-2018
vivalapenler / iStockphoto.com
Alibaba’s anti-counterfeiting alliance (AACA) has tripled in size since its inception in January 2017, with membership climbing to 105 brands.
Sister site WIPR reported last year that Alibaba had formed the alliance with international brands, including Louis Vuitton, Samsung and Mars.
The AACA’s mission is “partnering to create a healthy society for the protection of IP rights”, and the alliance leverages big data and the latest anti-counterfeiting technology to continue the fight against fakes.
Members collaborate in six areas: proactive online monitoring and protection, a product test-buy programme, offline investigations and enforcement actions, industry and law enforcement workshops, litigation tactics, and public awareness campaigns.
The current membership represents companies from 12 industry categories. Other brands include Bose, Adobe, Danone, Hasbro and L’Oréal.
Michael Yao, senior vice president at Alibaba and head of brand-protection cooperation, said: “Brands share IP rights and other related insights about their products, enabling us to leverage our proprietary, cutting-edge technology and algorithms to root out and deter bad actors.
He added that the speed of the group’s expansion “reflects the trust these large major global brands” have in Alibaba.
Sam Zhou, general manager of the Greater China brand at Procter & Gamble, explained that the company is working closely with the Alibaba team.
“Having made progress to date, we look forward to future strong collaboration to fight third parties who criminally exploit legitimate brands and genuine trade via online platforms; as such illicit trade ultimately endangers our consumers’ health and safety,” said Zhou.
