World IP Day at the IPI Event!

On April 30^th, the Institute for Policy Innovation (IPI) hosted an event in connection with World IP Day entitled “Get Up, Stand Up For Music and IP.” It had a series of panelists and speakers and covered all aspects of intellectual property.

Congressman Doug Collins started the event off with a passionate speech on the role intellectual property has played in his life. He said that innovation and entrepreneurship are about thinking, acting, and doing, and IP rights are fundamental to completing that process.

The first panel consisted of four music industry executives who explained how copyright and branding are prevalent throughout the process of finding and signing an artist, making an album, marketing the album, and distributing the album among various digital platforms. It was interesting to hear about how record companies operate in the digital age and more specifically how they help develop the unique identity of the individual artist. They also discussed WhyMusicMatters.com, which is a website dedicated to artistry and expression in the music industry.

There was also a discussion on patents from a group of experts representing various industries from retail to communications to research and development – an indication of the vast impact IP has on the economy. While the panelists had differing opinions on what reformed patent legislation should look like – some were more supportive of the Senate’s latest bill than others – they were all fairly optimistic that bipartisan legislation will be signed by President Obama by the end of the year.

World IP Day is an opportunity for ordinary people to take a step back and consider all the economic benefits that have resulted from intellectual property rights. It’s an opportunity to promote greater public understanding concerning the importance of IP rights.

Strong IP rights are important for ensuring that content providers, artists, innovators, and marketers can earn a return on their creative works and the labor that makes them possible. Protection of IP rights incentivizes more innovation, investment, and economic growth.  

Thanks to IPI for hosting a fun and stimulating event!