Intellectual property protection and investment is crucial to the work of the broad spectrum that is design – designers, designer makers, manufacturers and engineers. At least 2.5 million people use design skills and design thinking in their day to day work in the UK, finding solutions to problems through consistent innovation. Our future economic prosperity will be driven by the UK’s unique creative skills, driving exports and growth across the world economy. At the heart of our strategy must be robust and accessible enforcement to stem the flow of design theft.

Dids Macdonald, OBE., CEO of ACID said, “British IP Day is a celebration of the best of the best of British design and is even more important now as we embark on trade talks and negotiation with our newest trading partners and allies Australia, New Zealand, Japan and the US. For designers, it will be a challenge because of the complexity of UK design law.

Creators and businesses came together today to celebrate the importance of Intellectual Property (IP) to the UK’s economic and cultural life. Now in its fifth year, British IP Day offers the opportunity for those who rely on IP for their living to engage with policymakers to raise the profile of IP and some of the issues that currently exist in its promotion and protection. It is crucially important that the IP Minister, politicians and policy makers listen to the voices of British designers!”

Nick Kounoupias, ACID’s Chief Counsel commented, “Although there have been countless reviews by academics, and political soundbites, the voice of the designers themselves, who work at the coal-face,  is not being heard sufficiently loudly – and it needs to be. If the UK design community is to bounce back quickly from Covid-19 then stronger and more effective design laws are necessary.”

A virtual event will be held today with the IP Minister Amanda Solloway MP, Ministers, politicians and policy makers and during the afternoon, MPs, Peers and officials from the Intellectual Property Office and the Department for International Trade will hear from representatives from the film and TV, music, design, legal and art sectors about some of the issues that were most important within the trade talks being conducted with the EU, US, Japan and the soon to begin discussions with Australia and New Zealand

Commenting on the day, Dan Guthrie, Director General of The Alliance for Intellectual Property said:

“As we begin the slow recovery from COVID-19, maximizing the potential of our creators and IP-reliant industries will be even more vital.  Every pound lost to counterfeiting and piracy is a pound lost to our economy and one that can’t be reinvested in the content, designs, products and services that the British people love.  As trade negotiations intensify it is vital that we use them to protect our IP system and ensure other countries do the same to support global IP creators”

Adam Aaronson, Glassmaker, Aaronson Noon, “In a car crash, there’s no difference between a juggernaut and a motorcycle. Both have equal protection under the law. Isn’t it time to level the playing field for designers faced with IP theft? Why are giants allowed to use their financial muscle to ride roughshod over individual designers and steal IP with impunity because the individual can’t afford to litigate?”

Rob Law, MBE., Creator of the world famous Trunki “Despite the huge challenges and destruction of COVID, like a forest fire, there will be fertile ground to innovate and re think how we can build a more sustainable future. It’s a huge opportunity for designers and creative thinkers to find a market for new ideas. We are leaders in innovation so let’s take a minute to celebrate British IP day”. @Trunkidaddy 

Rachael Taylor, Rachael Taylor Designs,  “Celebrating British IP Day today thinking about how we will all, as creatives and designers, come through tough times and continue to champion community spirit, find more importance in human connection, learn to innovate more and to own our skills and elevate our businesses so that we can all make an impact with our work and do something truly meaningful.”

Rachel Jones, Head Dragon, Snapdragon, “British IP Day gives us a moment to think about the value of IP and how best to use it to protect creations and the economy. IP registration is all too frequently always on the ‘to do’ list, yet can be worth its weight in gold particularly when enforcing against online infringements”

Rodney McMahon, MD, Morgan Furniture, “ IP is a considerable strength of the UK and will become more significant in the New post Covid and Brexit World so let’s ensure that we get the international protection we need in our various trade deals and  celebrate our powers of innovation and British IP Day”

Angus Gardner, MD, Caroline Gardner Cards, “As the country emerges from economic and cultural hibernation, there has never been a more important time for innovation.   British IP Day is a showcase for the fantastic contribution made by our country’s intellectual property, which, through our Creative Industries, helped contribute over £300 million every day to the British economy in 2018.  We should be celebrating with abandon!

Alex Crofts, Managing Director of Crofts & Assinder, “Having faced the challenges of BREXIT uncertainty, COVID-19 has landed like a sledgehammer on the UK economy. It is at this time that the Government must enforce robust and enforceable online/rapid prototype design infringement legislation to act as a deterrent to persistent infringers. This will help to grow the economy and protect UK intellectual property which is the economic lifeline for many UK designers and small businesses.”

Nick Robinson, Managing Director of BaBaBing, “Now is the time for UK designers and companies to be bold, innovative and brave in designing new products post COVID-19.  We as a country are now at a crossroads whereby the government must now look to support further British innovative designers and companies through IP.  Let us all celebrate British IP day!”

Russell Cameron, Managing Director of Innermost “On British IP Day it is important to flag up an issue regarding trade talks with the US – the Lighting International Association have said that the US are demanding the UK adopt US standards as part of this trade deal.  All this means is that US companies can quickly enter the UK market as their products are already compliant, but UK companies will have to redevelop all their products for both their home market and the US, making it harder for them to sell anywhere.  This is only a one-way trade deal in favour of the US at the expense of British enterprise and must not be agreed.”

Sabah Nazir, Director Sabah Designs “The lack of uniformity and clarity around online IP laws is one of the biggest challenges brand owners, designers and artists are facing in today’s digital world. For a business, not knowing whose door to knock on once they realise their IP rights have been infringed online is a real challenge and major threat to small businesses.”