German trade show aims to stop design knockoffs

Staff -- Home Accents Today, 11/1/2004

The legal battle against product piracy moves closer to the courts as Messe Frankfurt plans to support exhibitors in the fight against copying during Ambiente, Feb. 11–15, 2005.

Believed to be the first trade show organizer to take such strong action against knockoffs, Messe Frankfurt will distribute a brochure, available in print and online versions in January 2005, to inform exhibitors about steps they should take before the trade show opening to prevent the theft of product designs and ideas. About 4,700 exhibitors are expected to show at Ambiente.

Nicolette Naumann, vice president of Ambiente and Tendence Lifestyle fairs of Messe Frankfurt, stressed the importance of intellectual property and its capital value for exhibitors.

"In the battle against product piracy, we stand by our exhibitors with advice and support," Naumann said. "By signing the registration form for the fair, our exhibitors undertake to comply with the legal requirements in this connection."

Messe Frankfurt can exclude exhibitors found guilty of copying from the trade show or future shows if a German court has ruled against the company and the exhibitor refuses to obey the court's decision.

To make the trade and the public more aware of intellectual property theft, Ambiente regularly presents the Plagiarius Award. Since created in 1977 by Rido Busse, the dwarf with the golden nose has been awarded in recognition of particularly brazen product piracy. The Plagiarius Exhibition in the foyer of Hall 4.1 will show originals and copies side-by-side and call for stronger protection of intellectual property.