Ambush Marketing and Brand Protection

Ambush marketing is any attempt to create an unauthorised or false association with an event thereby interfering with the legitimate contractual rights of the event's official marketing partners. Looking at both traditional intellectual property rights (such as trade marks, copyright and designs) as they relate to sporting events, and event-specific legislation (such as that of the Olympics), this book gives comprehensive and detailed coverage of ambush marketing. Also considered are the areas of law which can be used to prevent ambush marketing by intrusion (such as laws to prevent fly postering, street trading, the placing of posters and billboards, and control of aerial space). With the United Kingdon hosting three major events; the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012; the Commonwealth Games in 2014; and the Rugby World Cup in 2015, this new edition provides a timely and topical update on the area. A materials section is included providing 'ambush marketing' specific legislation both in the UK and other countries.

Phillip Johnson is a barrister in private practice specialising in intellectual property law, including trade marks, copyright, patents, supplementary protection certificates, designs, confidential information, domain names and media and libel law, entertainment and sports law. He was a legal adviser to the Patent Office from 2003 to 2007, advising on most aspects of thier practice and procedure. He is a lecturer at the CEIPI (Patent Law), Strasbnourg and a Visiting Senior Fellow at Queen Mary, University of London. He is a member of the ITMA Litigation Committeee, an Appeal Officer for CIPA Litigator's Certificate and Chair of the research ethics committee for the Games at Large Project.