This article has been written by Tanvitha Reddy Kadasani, a 2nd year BA LLB student of Osmania University College of Law, Hyderabad.
ABSTRACT
Consumers prefer to purchase and use only authentic and branded products. They choose to do so to make sure that their money is spent on quality goods. Branding builds a reputation for goods and makes it easy for consumers to identify genuine products over mass-produced low-quality goods. Geographical Indication label as such also helps consumers identify genuine goods and increases the reputation and market identity of the producers of the GI-labelled goods. GI ensures the authenticity, quality, and origin of a product which formulates its reputation attributed to the place of origin and traditional methods of production used in the manufacture of the product. In this sense, GI performs the role of a brand. This article explores the importance of GI registration and its role in nation branding and nation building along with challenges faced.
IMPORTANCE OF GETTING GI PROTECTION
Geographical indication provided under the TRIPS agreement protect the identity of a good with special characteristics attributed to its place of origin. Getting a GI label has many benefits, it performs as a very useful tool in marketing strategies and promotion of policy changes in legislation affiliated with climate and sustainable production and management of resources. As the name suggests a geographical indication provides information to the consumers regarding the place of origin of the product and the unique characteristics possessed by it due to the specific location of origin or production.
The value of a commodity increases when the location of its origin is fixed and it draws its characteristics from the said location which sets it apart from other substitute products. If a product from a a specific location is not protected then it will be used casually with disregard and will lose its value, GI helps preserve and increase the value of the specific good. The reputation that GI identifies and protects is an intangible asset.
It supports and protects local traditional practices used in the production and manufacture of GI-tagged goods. In an age where big companies and small alike flood the market with mass-produced goods leaving quality and authenticity unchecked, the demands of consumers are shifting towards more genuine and organic goods that are unique. GI helps in promoting the production of quality goods made by sustainable means of production.
NATION BRANDING
In today’s world building a brand has become imperative in both the goods as well as the skills markets. Every individual, company, and organization offering goods and services builds a brand for itself to increase engagement with potential buyers and also to increase market visibility. The brand image and reputation can be built on the GI or trademark. Building a brand has become a necessary tool in the marketing strategies of many organizations. Just as many professionals, companies, and service providers have been able to brand themselves it is also possible for regions, countries, and nations to brand themselves.
In 2005 the Anholt IPSOS Nation Brands Index was created which examines the performance of a country based on 6 criteria in brief, the reputation of goods and services exported by the country, the tourism popularity of a nation, the value of a nation’s cultural heritage, the reputation of the government, respect of people worldwide towards the country, and investment and immigration rate. In 2022 Germany topped the ranking list followed by Japan and India only ranked 39 on this index in 2022. Nation branding is still in process in India with more scope for development and requires active participation and approach of the stakeholders.
NATION BUILDING BY NATION BRANDING
Creating a brand is in no way a simple task. Firstly, a logo is needed and the logo should be unique and be able to convey the character of the brand. It should be recognizable to the consumers which country the product belongs to when they see its logo.
The brand should reflect the geographical area and its features, further lining products with special characteristics helps increase their value
A country’s reputation can be elevated by nation branding. Just as products receive more attention and visibility on the market, even a country can receive global recognition through its brand and sell unique products grown in its own unique geographic area.
Traditional production methods can be linked to the brand. It will ensure the protection of the traditional knowledge and production processes as well as contribute to increasing the value and reputation of a brand.
The concept of nation branding leveraged by geographical indications is not easy to achieve. Government agencies must collaborate with private-sector producers to create a national brand successfully. The government’s support and market presence of the private sector enterprises is necessary for national branding to take off.
NATION BUILDING
Employment to the local rural population-
Geographical indication not only protects the identity of a product originating from a specific location, but it further preserves any traditional methods of products and cultivation used by the local rural population. This ensures that the locals with the traditional knowledge are employed by working in the production of the good.
Sustainable production process-
Sometimes when a product is applied for GI registration, it is tested whether the production process used was sustainable and safe for the environment. Further, the producers get an incentive to use sustainable production techniques in order to preserve the natural environment of the geographic area which makes their product unique. So directly or indirectly GI promotes sustainable production, preserving a nation’s environmental conditions.
Increase value –
GI is utilized by producers as a tool for marketing their products. Most GI products have their brands built around the geographic indication as this sets them apart from other similar goods. Since GI-labelled goods are also made by sustainable methods the value increases among consumers who prefer cruelty-free and organically produced goods.
Protects biodiversity and ecosystem-
Biodiversity and ecosystems need to be conserved as many lifeforms including the human population rely on the ecosystem for sustenance. GI stresses the importance of the geographic area which includes biodiversity and sustaining this ecosystem is of great importance to producers who build their brand around the GI acquired for their product.
CONCLUSION
The concept of nation branding leveraged by geographical indications is not easy to achieve. Government agencies must collaborate with private-sector producers to create a national brand successfully. Even the power of the policy-making intellectual property office is limited in its ability to create nationwide and individual brands. Any brand created by the government without a strategic and coordinated approach with the private sector producers will be fragile. All the stakeholders need to actively and strategically coordinate in creating a national brand of India. One proactive way for private brands to contribute to creating a national brand is by associating the characteristics of a country with their brand.
REFERENCES
This research paper was written by Mas Rahman and published by the Journal of Intellectual Property Rights. The link for the same lies here
https://docs.manupatra.in/newsline/articles/Upload/A73A944B-8E2F-4459-8CB8-FDF29A479045.pdf
This blog was written by Shantanu Houzwala and published on LinkedIn. The link for the same lies herein
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/role-geographical-indications-brand-development-shantanu-houzwala/
This article was written by Patricio T. Murphy and published in the WIPO Magazine. The link for the same lies herein
This research paper was written and published by WIPO. The link for the same lies herein
https://www.wipo.int/edocs/pubdocs/en/wipo_pub_transition_4.pdf