Social Media’s impact on Intellectual Property Rights

This is a draft chapter. The final version is available in Handbook of Research on Counterfeiting and Illicit Trade, edited by Peggy E. Chaudhry, published in 2017 by Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd, https://doi.org/10.4337/9781785366451. This material is for private use only, and cannot be used for any other purpose without further permission of the publisher.Peer reviewe

Online and offline integration in marketing communication. Delving into the business perspective

Literature about Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) is still evolving, but lacks a systematic focus on online and offline integration approaches. This research aims to identify the key managerial issues related to online and offline integration within IMC and explore the existence of clusters of firms with consistent conducts and results. We carried out a survey with 124 large firms operating in Italy, running first exploratory factor analyses and then a non-hierarchical cluster analysis. The former highlight the nature of the implementation modalities of online and offline integration in IMC, the main types of advantages, and the different categories of barriers to such implementation. The latter results in two clusters of firms. Academic and managerial implications are presented along with future research directions

Exploring the Counterfeiting and Piracy Phenomena through Insights into Demand and Offer

The counterfeiting and piracy phenomena have been investigated across a multitude of fields, from ethics to marketing, from law to business, from criminology to psychology. While the number of contributions has been substantial, the research on both demand and supply analyses have been fragmented and, at times, contradicting. Such inconsistencies emphasize how more research is needed to clarify the complexity of consumer complicity with counterfeit and pirated goods while systemizing the existing managerial solutions to fight against these instances. Such a clarification can help stem consumer demand and provide meaningful suggestions to companies. The fil rouge guiding the development of this thesis is that it is important to delve into both the demand-side and the supply-side of the phenomena, paying close attention to the areas that have been understudied in the reference literature. With this in mind, the objectives of this thesis are to answer the following research questions: 1. What has the research on counterfeiting and piracy covered and what is still lacking? Which are the areas of the phenomena that need to be further investigated? (Chapter 1) 2. What aspects of consumer complicity with illicit goods has the consumer behavior literature investigated? What are the main overarching frameworks employed? What future paths could research undertake to further delve into consumer attitudes and behaviors towards counterfeiting and piracy? (Chapter 2) 3. More in detail, is it possible to develop and validate a general model of consumer complicity with pirated goods that includes a variety of determinants and is valid across multiple countries? (Chapter 3) 4. Furthermore, how does consumers’ attitude toward online piracy influence their willingness to try legal alternatives to the phenomenon, such as subscription-based music services? (Chapter 4) 5. What anti-counterfeiting and anti-piracy strategies has the managerial literature put forth, both theoretically and empirically? What solutions could further be suggested to managers who fight against illicit trade every day? (Chapter 5) 6. Which strategies constitute a synthetic and practical brand protection/anti-counterfeiting framework? And how is this framework useful in the fight against the current challenges posed by the counterfeiting phenomenon, both offline and online? (Chapter 6) 7. What are managers’ perspectives on the causes of counterfeiting and how are they managed? In addition, what aspects of a brand protection/anti-counterfeiting framework require special, dedicated attention? (Chapter 7) The thesis is organized into three parts, and contains a total of seven chapters. Part I (Chapter 1) provides a comprehensive overview of the counterfeiting and piracy phenomena. Part II (Chapters 2-4) begins with a literature review of the academic research on consumer behavior with illicit goods, and then focuses strictly and quantitatively on consumers’ attitudes and intentions towards pirated goods, movies and music specifically, in both the offline and online context. Part III (Chapters 5-7) provides the supply-side perspective; after a literature review of the managerial literature on the anti-counterfeiting and anti-piracy solutions, this section employs a qualitative approach to examine corporate anti-counterfeiting strategies, offline and online, with specific reference to the fashion, luxury and non-luxury, industries. Below is a more detail outline of the contents of these three sections

The influence of a film on destination iamge. The case of the city of Rome

The purpose of this study is to explore the potential role of destination image in service promotion and consumer choice in the context of film-induced tourism. In detail, the empirical objective is to measure the immediate impacts of a promotional movie trailer on viewers’ perceptions of a destination image. Consumers can be very sensitive to images, and promotional videos or movies can have a very influential impact. In fact, consumers may make purchase choices in a range of areas as a result of what they have seen in a movie. An expanding body of literature suggests that film can influence people’s travel decisions and entice them to visit particular destinations they have seen on the screen. This paper empirically examines the potential effects of a trailer on the image change of the city of Rome as a travel destination. The analysis is based on an empirical study conducted among international respondents. The practical and theoretical implications resulting from the research are discussed within the context of destination management and an agenda for future research is proposed

No al falso! Un’indagine esplorativa sulle strategie anti-contraffazione delle fashion firms.

Il presente studio propone un’indagine qualitativa esplorativa, tramite 18 interviste in profondità, sul fenomeno della contraffazione allo scopo di indagarne gli effetti e di valutare le scelte strategiche, operative e organizzative adottate dalle imprese operanti nei settori dei fashion goods impegnate a contrastare il fenomeno a livello globale. Da un’attenta analisi della letteratura e dalle interviste condotte si riscontrano, nelle imprese, quattro fondamentali direttrici strategiche ed operative (in termini di protezione, cooperazione, prosecuzione ed in-formazione) e specifici assetti organizzativi (in termini di inquadramento della brand protection). La minaccia della contraffazione online, la questione cinese e l’enforcement legislativo risultano essere le principali sfide che queste affrontano, e dovranno affrontare, oggi e nel prossimo futuro.This study proposes a qualitative exploratory analysis, through 18 in-depth interviews, on the counterfeiting phenomenon in order to investigate the effects, the strategic, operational and organizational measures taken by companies operating in the fashion goods sectors committed to combating the phenomenon globally. From a careful analysis of the literature and from the conducted interviews, it becomes evident how companies adopt four fundamental strategic and operational decisions (in terms of protection, cooperation, prosecution and in-formation) and specific organizational structures (in terms of brand protection location within the firm). The threat of online counterfeiting, the so called “China trap” and the legislation enforcement emerge as the challenges that these companies are facing today and will have to face in the near future

Delving into the Counterfeiting Phenomenon: An Exploratory Analysis of Original Brands’ Perceptions and their Strategies against Fakes

This study proposes a qualitative exploratory analysis on counterfeiting from the legitimate firms’ perspective in order to investigate their perceptions and the real approaches they take to tackle this phenomenon. The analysis is carried out by juxtaposing the existing literature with the original brands’ point of view, gathered through 18 in-depth interviews with brand protection/intellectual property managers of luxury and non-luxury firms. The analysis highlights that in a global, technology driven, low legislative enforcement context, businesses identify consumer complicity and anti-big business attitudes as two of the main factors for counterfeiting. To deal with these factors, firms must construct a complete brand protection/anti-counterfeiting framework, of which they must closely supervise the ‘weak links’, i.e. supply and distribution chains’ monitoring as well as personnel formation.This study proposes a qualitative exploratory analysis on counterfeiting from the legitimate firms’ perspective in order to investigate their perceptions and the real approaches they take to tackle this phenomenon. The analysis is carried out by juxtaposing the existing literature with the original brands’ point of view, gathered through 18 in-depth interviews with brand protection/intellectual property managers of luxury and non-luxury firms. The analysis highlights that in a global, technology driven, low legislative enforcement context, businesses identify consumer complicity and anti-big business attitudes as two of the main factors for counterfeiting. To deal with these factors, firms must construct a complete brand protection/anti-counterfeiting framework, of which they must closely supervise the ‘weak links’, i.e. supply and distribution chains’ monitoring as well as personnel formation

It is counterfeits that consumers love?! Exploring the phenomenon in the digital environment

The Internet has revolutionized the way consumers shop: available 24/7 from any location worldwide through different devices, the web represents a global distribution channel (Miniwatts Marketing Group 2013). However, what pertains to the rightful distribution of goods also holds true for selling counterfeits, i.e., products that violate others’ Intellectual Property Rights (mainly trademarks and copyright) (MarkMonitor 2013). The fact that consumers can access counterfeits with a simple mouse click has dramatically aggravated already rampant offline purchases of fakes (Guarnieri and Przyswa 2013; Radón 2012). Prior findings (Davenport Lyons and Ledbury Research 2007) show that almost one third of UK consumers has now deliberately turned to the web for their counterfeit purchases. This is where the present contribution sets in: while the demand for counterfeits in an offline context is already well researched (see e.g., Eisend and Schuchert-Güler 2006), purchasing fakes online has attracted only scant research attention. This seems surprising with regard to the extent of counterfeits being sold online, but also given the fact that buying fakes on the Internet poses additional challenges to the consumer. Quite commonly, consumers become victims of deceptive counterfeiting, as they initially believed to buy an original (bargain), and only found out after receiving the shipment that they had been fooled with a counterfeit (Wall and Large 2010). Based on 30 qualitative interviews, (1) we aim to shed light on the purchase behavior of counterfeits online (e.g., awareness and knowledge; drivers and obstacles of purchasing fakes online); this allows us to (2) evaluate potential communalities and differences between offline and online purchase and based on that to (3) develop avenues for future research

Lotta alla contraffazione! Un'indagine esplorativa su strategie, strumenti e azioni delle imprese di marca

Il contributo indaga le strategie, gli strumenti e le azioni anticontraffazione delle imprese del lusso tramite interviste in profondità al management delle imprese coinvolt

The consumers’ choice: Illegal music downloads vs. subscription-based music services.

This paper analyzes Italian consumers’ attitudes and behaviors towards online piracy and subscription-based music services. The study is based on an empirical quantitative analysis through the collection of 505 questionnaires. The results show that Italian consumers perceive music piracy as ethically wrong, yet they still prefer the free, illegal alternative when it comes to actually making the choice. The findings call for a greater commitment by music industry actors to educate Italian consumers about the consequences and implications of online piracy and the possible solutions offered by subscription-based music services

Acting on Luxury Counterfeiting

Counterfeiters beware! This chapter offers managers of luxury firms the hands-on guide for the construction of a comprehensive brand-protection / anti-counterfeiting framework that consists of four main strategies: companies should 1) protect all of their tangible and intangible assets, meaning products, brands and Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs); 2) collaborate with national and international political and market entities; 3) prosecute off- and online infringers of IPRs; and 4) in-form, through awareness building campaigns and education programs, employees, enforcement officials, supply and distribution chain members and final consumers. Counterfeiting will not cease to exist because as long as there is a demand there will be a supply for fake goods. The recommendations and suggestions given in this chapter, though, aim at being a concrete support to original luxury brands engaged, on a daily basis, in the fight against counterfeits