33 million rubles — this penalty will pay the Russian manufacturer of toys, the British company behind Peppa Pig, this ugly, pink, vaguely pig-cartoon. The court ruled violated copyright. The defendants tried to prove that the pig is their own, just very similar. However, the British even ordered the poll and more than half of the respondents said that they see on the box the very Peppa. Is there a threat to other manufacturers of plagiarism?
They found 25 thousand boxes with the hero, suspiciously similar to Peppa Pig. Exactly what the lawyers of the British company managed to prove the fact of wholesale sales of counterfeit designers, and helped them to win 33 million. Pseudo-Peppa can be ordered online at the price from 300 to 800 rubles. To enter supplier managed via online platforms, which during the pre-trial communication agreed to cooperate.
“the Amount of damage, at least not less than what we sought. Because the licensed product (have a license designer, Peppa, different variants) – it is, of course, more expensive than these items. So consider that these 33 million – is very close to the position of the assesses company-rightholder of the damage,” — said Roman Lukyanov, the lawyer of the plaintiff.
the protection of the Russian manufacturer built primarily on the appearance of your character, like, well, let’s see what kind of Peppa. Just a pig. However, on the box do not write “pig” or “pig”. Took the word “Pig”.
“I noticed the cheeks, I think in peppa obvious such cheeks no. Clothing recolored. It is not clear we have a real pig or it’s a boy, because there is a striped suit. Houses. As I recall, they lived in two-story houses, there is not much more floors were added, but the silhouette remains the same”, — said Anastasia Bodrova, designer products for children.
After this signal the market should change – say toy manufacturers. Professionals affects not only the amount of compensation, but the fact that it lost the company, which for many years successfully worked with licensed goods. According to open sources, the losers court the firm’s annual turnover is 6 and a half billion rubles.
“We estimate about 43% of the counterfeit goods that is licensed products. Currently conducting a study that was started over 5 years ago, analyzed annually proportion of counterfeit goods. New results expected by the end of January. And I think that it is unlikely that the share will decrease”, — said Antonina Tsitsulina, President of the Association of children’s goods industry.
And the copyright specialists are called to look at this story wider. The success of British companies in the Russian court to mean that in our country business is protected.
“I strongly welcome the decision of the court. I’m pretty sure it will come to benefit not only the Russian owners, but of course, that the confidence of foreign right holders when they come on the market, and I understand that on the Russian market, their rights will be protected in exactly the same way as it would be protected in their country,” said Ivan Bliznets, Chairman of the Council on intellectual property Trading-industrial chamber of Russia.
Owners of other popular foreign brands in the “Peppa Pig vs…” see a precedent that will make their lives much easier. Because before bring to court, the proceedings unfair factory was not easy.
“the perpetrators, as a rule, after the raids and after writing letters of claims are scaled down. Well, because it’s still criminal liability. And in order to come to court, you need to some great extent. But in this case with this pig of my colleagues found the production”, says Julianna tabastajewa, the representative of the canadian manufacturer of toys.
Losingshae court of the Russian company of the press now does not communicate. Perhaps preparing for an appeal. From the manufacturer there’s still time to try to prove that he was not trying to sell Peppa Pig, and people just seemed to.
