The Challenge
China's unprecedented economic growth has led to an unparalleled surge in counterfeiting. Counterfeiting includes many well-known consumer brands: Unilever, Prada, Nike, Procter & Gamble and Sony. According to the China State Council Development Research Center, "the momentum on the manufacture and sale of such products has not only been undeterred, but rather has experienced an increase in certain industries and regions."
Ineffective laws, local protectionism and weak enforcement by the Chinese government heavily contribute to the gravity of the counterfeiting problem and pose a huge threat to the reputation and sales of international brands. In the face of astounding financial losses, foreign companies in China were determined to fight the spread of counterfeiting and enlisted APCO Worldwide to create a collaborative approach to address the issue.
The Solution
APCO developed the Quality Brands Protection Committee (QBPC), a growing industry-based coalition comprising more than 80 multinational companies, focusing on anti-counterfeiting developments in China.
APCO assisted the QBPC in arranging meetings and seminars with government officials to secure commitments on the issue and in submitting a position paper on anti-counterfeiting to top Chinese leadership. This paper played a key role in the State Council's acknowledgement of the severity of the problem and the subsequent launch of a nationwide anti-counterfeiting campaign.
In addition, APCO's public relations team designed a corporate/government collaborative media strategy and successfully positioned the QBPC as an essential resource for the government and local industry.
The Result
APCO's approach has been fundamental to the QBPC's success in bringing about State Council-level accountability for the development and implementation of anti-counterfeiting initiatives and concrete steps to increase enforcement activity and accelerate legislative reform. The achievements of the QBPC have earned it international recognition, including an award for outstanding achievement from the Global Anti-Counterfeiting Group.