Heralding the Perils of Counterfeits

From the Calgary Herald, Paula Arab explains why buying counterfeits is such a bad idea. Using a recent Calgary police raid that netted over 7,200 counterfeit items as a starting point, Arab relates how buying counterfeits and knock-offs costs consumers in both long-term quality and consumer safety, all the while encouraging social ills such as child labor, organized crime and gang violence. It is a well-written piece - check it out if you can.

eBay's European PR Offensive

PR Week reports on eBay's public relations counteroffensive in the wake of this week's legal setback in France. The article notes eBay's involvement with the Knock Off Nigel initiative, as well as its teaming with various organizations to fight online fraud (including The Authentics Foundation, which sponsors this blog and the myauthentics.com website).

The Twelve (Horribly Fake) Days of Christmas

On the first day of Christmas,
the counterfeiters and pirates gave to me
One bootleg DVD

On the second day of Christmas,
the counterfeiters and pirates gave to me
Two exploding batteries ,
And one bootleg DVD

On the third day of Christmas,
the counterfeiters and pirates gave to me
Three fake Tickle-Me-Elmos,
Two exploding batteries,
And one bootleg DVD

On the fourth day of Christmas,
the counterfeiters and pirates gave to me
Four defective Durex condoms,
Three fake Tickle-Me-Elmos,
Two exploding batteries,
And one bootleg DVD

On the fifth day of Christmas,
the counterfeiters and pirates gave to me
Five sawdust brake pads,
Four defective Durex condoms,
Three fake Tickle-Me-Elmos,
Two exploding batteries,
And one bootleg DVD

On the sixth day of Christmas,
the counterfeiters and pirates gave to me
Six tainted tubes of toothpaste,
Five sawdust brake pads,
Four defective Durex condoms,
Three fake Tickle-Me-Elmos,
Two exploding batteries,
And one bootleg DVD

On the seventh day of Christmas,
the counterfeiters and pirates gave to me
Seven sick senior citizens,
Six tainted tubes of toothpaste,
Five sawdust brake pads,
Four defective Durex condoms,
Three fake Tickle-Me-Elmos,
Two exploding batteries,
And one bootleg DVD

On the eighth day of Christmas,
the counterfeiters and pirates gave to me
Eight children a-choking,
Seven sick senior citizens,
Six tainted tubes of toothpaste,
Five sawdust brake pads,
Four defective Durex condoms,
Three fake Tickle-Me-Elmos,
Two exploding batteries,
And one bootleg DVD

On the ninth day of Christmas,
the counterfeiters and pirates gave to me
Nine computers-a-crashing,
Eight children a-choking,
Seven sick senior citizens,
Six tainted tubes of toothpaste,
Five sawdust brake pads,
Four defective Durex condoms,
Three fake Tickle-Me-Elmos,
Two exploding batteries,
And one bootleg DVD

On the tenth day of Christmas,
the counterfeiters and pirates gave to me
Ten extension cords a-blazing,
Nine computers-a-crashing,
Eight children a-choking,
Seven sick senior citizens,
Six tainted tubes of toothpaste,
Five sawdust brake pads,
Four defective Durex condoms,
Three fake Tickle-Me-Elmos,
Two exploding batteries,
And one bootleg DVD

On the eleventh day of Christmas,
the counterfeiters and pirates gave to me
Eleven erroneous diabetic testing strips,
Ten extension cords a-blazing,
Nine computers-a-crashing,
Eight children a-choking,
Seven sick senior citizens,
Six tainted tubes of toothpaste,
Five sawdust brake pads,
Four defective Durex condoms,
Three fake Tickle-Me-Elmos,
Two exploding batteries,
And one bootleg DVD

On the twelfth day of Christmas,
the counterfeiters and pirates gave to me
Twelve fire extinguishers malfunctioning,
Eleven erroneous diabetic testing strips,
Ten extension cords a-blazing,
Nine computers-a-crashing,
Eight children a-choking,
Seven sick senior citizens,
Six tainted tubes of toothpaste,
Five sawdust brake pads,
Four defective Durex condoms,
Three fake Tickle-Me-Elmos,
Two exploding batteries,
And one bootleg DVD

Brought to you by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Well, ladies and gentleman. It's been a mad, mad year of fakes. Here's hoping you bought authentic this holiday season. You wouldn't want that Christmas tree or Hanukkah bush a-kindling because of cheap lights.

Happy holidays!

Photo credit

"Before Models Can Turn Around, Knockoffs Fly"

Gen Art Fresh Faces in Fashion: Los Angeles (October 2006)
Originally uploaded by Gen Art

With the design piracy bill in America being introduced in the Senate, knockoff fashion has been getting a lot of press. The New York Times just ran a story on the effect technology, which has increased the ease of quickly copying a garment, has had on the fashion industry.
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Excerpt:
“For me, this is not simply about copying,” said Anna Sui, one of more than 20 designers who have filed lawsuits against Forever 21, one of the country’s fastest-growing clothing chains, for selling what they claim are copies of their apparel. “The issue is also timing. These copies are hitting the market before the original versions do.”
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Full Story Here

Reactions to Dana Thomas' New York Times Piece

After publishing "Terror's Purse Strings," an op-ed where Newsweek's Dana Thomas discussed the paramilitary connection to counterfeiters, the New York Time's received some interesting responses. Be sure to check out Thomas' new book, Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Lustre, now out in bookstores.


To the Editor:

In ''Terror's Purse Strings'' (Op-Ed, Aug. 30), Dana Thomas says the counterfeit handbags for sale here may have been made by child laborers in China .

I live in Westport, Conn., where ownership of the correct handbag is essential, and I'm lucky enough to be able to afford it. But each season, as I walk the Marc Jacobs or Prada to the register, I look at the price tag, become queasy and just say no.

I am an admitted hypocrite who goes in for designer furniture and status automobiles. These luxury items are used for at least several years, so I somehow rationalize their purchase. The designer bag is used for one season and then its panache is no more.

Perhaps Ms. Thomas can help more directly by creating a new movement -- call it the ''re-use last year's handbag movement.'' For one season, we don't buy a bag. (Hey, we're breadwinners, give birth and raise children -- so we can handle the self-deprivation. )

Then we donate the price of a new bag ($800 to $4,500) to a charitable group that focuses on Chinese child laborers. That may do a lot more good than running out to buy original Gucci bags.

Westport, Conn., Aug. 30, २००७
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To the Editor:

As the quality of luxury goods diminishes, how much difference is there between the fakes and the real things? No wonder shoppers willingly admit to buying fakes.

I certainly don't want to support terrorists, but as designers try to make more and more money by cutting costs the prices border on extortion -- not that anyone ''needs'' a designer label।

Nutley, N.J., Aug. 30, २००७
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To the Editor:

Dana Thomas says ''counterfeiting rackets are run by crime syndicates that also deal in narcotics, weapons, child prostitution, human trafficking and terrorism.''

But as the Wal-Mart phenomenon has illustrated, everyone likes a bargain and for the most part is disinterested in the source of production.

With the profits of the big designers bordering on the usurious, and constant media images of glamorous women toting expensive designer bags, the idea of owning a few is, of course, rather seductive. Yet women might be persuaded not to buy the counterfeit bags if the real ones were not so ridiculously expensive.

It comes down to a purely economic choice: $20 for a rip-off or hundreds for the real thing?
Valparaiso, Ind., Aug. 30, २००७
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news roundup, ed. 8

Terror's Purse Strings (New York Times)
Uganda: MP Pins Minister Over Fake Seeds, Pangas (New Vision)
Counterfeit Pills: The European Threat (NAM)
Fake Britain: The Rise of the Imitation Industry (The Independent)
Ports Teeming with Counterfeit Goods (LA Business Journal)
India Steps Up Fight Against Piracy (BBC)
Fake Brand Seizures Hit New Half Year High (Japan Times)
Two Extremes in Chinese Knockoffs (Autosavant)
Nike Wins Lawsuit Against Chinese Footwear Manufacturers (GhettoGrind)
Counterfeit Anti-Malaria Drugs Seized (East African Standard)
Not So Heavenly Hosts (Counterfeit Chic)
Counterfeit Drugs: Seal the Loopholes (The Nairobi Nation)
France Intercepts Counterfeit World Cup Rugby Balls (Reuters)
BMW and DaimlerChrysler Threaten Legal Steps if Chinese Copies Are Shown at the IAA (Forbes)
Two Held Over Fake Cattle Vaccine (Daily Monitor)

Photo Credit

Surprise, Surprise: Radar Gets Sarcastic

radar
Originally uploaded by BehindDarkEyes

Ever tasteful Radar online is running a feature today called "Knockoff Nation," that basically tells you how to buy counterfeits without getting into trouble. Seems a little dodgy to promote something illegal, but hey, we all have different journalistic standards.

Read the piece here and tell them what you think.