Read the compelling story of how ACID Member David Hopkins of Screamprint Ltd (previously Production Line Limited) has put IP at the heart of his business strategy and how he has made full use of his ACID Membership Benefits to support his business! 

About David Hopkins – David, is primarily a graphic designer who has worked in the advertising and marketing business for over 40 years. The creativity that led him to study at Cardiff Art College and then to becoming a senior designer at a number of agencies, both in the UK and in Australia, meant that ideas, concepts and solutions for visual problems were always bouncing around in his head. There were plenty of ideas that may not have been that appropriate for serving the marketing needs of national and international clients through his own design agency. These ideas were a little more frivolous and fun.

Then came the “Big Idea!” –  a game called The Great I Am™, developed from a familiar parlour game concept, but formalised to make it an appealing and marketable product. The game was developed and produced in David’s spare time and he set up a new company, Production Line, to market this and other planned products. Launched at the British Toy and Hobby Fair over twenty years ago, The Great I Am™ was an immediate success with retailers. Listed by John Lewis, WHSmith, Toy R Us, Hamley’s and many others, the game sold thousands.

With success came IP issues – with a potential trademark infringement. A letter arrived from an American lawyer representing the international giant, the Dr Seuss Corporation. Although The Great I Am™ was registered as a trademark, the letter argued that it was too close to their trademarked character, Sam I Am! Although this seemed to be a real David and Goliath encounter, Production Line wrote back essentially saying ‘No, it’s not’. That was the last the company heard about the issue, however, it highlighted the need for small businesses to be able to stand up for themselves.

How did ACID become involved? This is when Production Line became aware of ACID, which was in its early stages as well. With all the other ideas for production, it made sense to become a member of a group of like-minded businesses who could all see that there is strength in numbers, no matter how large the opposition might be. The company joined and has been a member ever since.

Further product development included – an innovative product called The Procrastinator™, a portable device with loads of things to fill in, scribble on and complete in any way the user wanted, just to amuse themselves. This was described as ‘The Complete Waste of Time’, a phrase trademarked to be intriguing, individual and descriptive. The Procrastinator™ was immediately successful, becoming one of online retailer Firebox’s top ten sellers within a month. Other formats of this popular concept followed, with a jotter pad, a mousepad, a calendar, a notebook, developed in response to requests from bookshop chain Ottakar’s and other retailers such as Gadget Shop. The concept arguably prepared the way for the trend in adult colouring books, offering an opportunity to be creative and give the mind a bit of a work out.

ACID support – These products were launched at various Spring and Autumn Fairs in Birmingham where Production Line was visited regularly by ACID to see if all was well. It was, until Production Line was made aware of another product being produced by a major publisher with very similar content. In fact, some of the elements were direct copies of original material, which had all been researched, written and edited by David years earlier. Even the title of the product was a trademark allocated to Production Line at the time, ‘The Complete Waste of Time’!

ACID advice – Production Line was able to take advantage of the legal advice offered by ACID and prepared to take on another major corporation. However, without much resistance, the publisher recognised that they had copied the idea, infringed the trademark and undertook not to republish. ‘I think the fact that they realised that I had the backing of ACID, which by then was developing quite a high profile, meant that I could stop any further infringements’, said David.

Current development – The Procrastinator™ range and The Great I Am™ still sell on gift websites, but these forays into the gift and stationery market were not without their ups and downs, Production Line was inconsistent with success, new products and the ability to market effectively. But the ideas were still there, so David Hopkins sold his design and advertising business to develop new ranges through a new company, Screamprint. It is the case that genuinely innovative concepts are few and far between, many ideas seem to have a doppelganger somewhere, but those who decide to pursue a concept that they can demonstrate has no clear forerunner must be in a position to protect that original thought from those who do not think for themselves. ACID can and will do that.

David Hopkins’s Screamprint is in its early stages, but already has ranges of framed prints with impact and humour, less traditional greetings card ranges and gifts that are hard to find. One range may seem an obvious concept, but there appears nothing similar in terms of a coordinated and expandable range. The designs make use of the ubiquitous British road signs, but have an added element of humour, to create cards, prints and gifts with imagery that is familiar to everyone. Road sign designs are Crown Copyright, but David has obtained permission from the Department of Transport to use them in this way as long as the copyright is acknowledged. The brand name for these products, Traphic™, is a registered trademark.

Another brand, Small Pieces™, produces framed prints of well-known landmarks that are represented in a strong, direct style, allowing visitors to take a small piece of the attraction home with them. David handled registering Small Pieces™ himself and appealed against an original decision not to allow it as a trademark. He won, and now has a permanent display of Small Pieces™ images in Cardiff Castle as well as a range of cards. Had the appeal not succeeded, ACID would have been drafted in for advice!

And David’s advice to potential ACID members? “There are other ranges I am working on, including hand produced screen prints, which will be launched and marketed as appropriate. I am always aware that things can easily be copied and the reassurance of being part of the ACID community about the protection of ideas is something that all creators should think about seriously. A good idea deserves to be protected for the benefit of the individual who came up with it in the first place. Joining ACID has given me confidence that I can call on specialist advice and support when and if needed.”

www.screamprint.co.uk