News - 2 December 2021 18:29

5 reasons innovators should use PitchMark

Prevention is better than cure. That’s why when we buy a vehicle, we buy an insurance plan for it too. But what safeguards do innovators have when it comes to their ideas?

That’s where PitchMark comes in. Idea theft is a problem that many innovators face, and the financial loss and hurt feelings that arise from seeing your ideas copied by others without consent, credit and compensation can be very painful.

Here are the five ways PitchMark can help.

1) It helps deter idea theft

The PitchMark Certificate documents the expression of your ideas and when they were created.

When you share this Certificate along with your ideas during pitches, you signal to the recipients of your pitches that you are the creator of these ideas, and that you wish to be respected as such.

2) It's free

It doesn’t cost a dime to become a member at PitchMark. There are no sign-up fees, no membership fees, and no usage fees. All you need to do to get started is to fill in few details here.

3) If things go wrong, it provides options

Notify us if you suspect your pitch has been copied and we will offer an initial view of your options.

If you opted in for the free legal consultation when you created your PitchMark account, you are entitled to a free consultation with someone from our network of legal experts. Log in to your account, complete and return the reporting form. There is no obligation to engage that counsel following the initial consultation.

4) It is a platform for showcasing your work

Choose to share a few details about you and your work on PitchFeed and use this section of our website to get more exposure to potential clients and fellow innovators.

5) Join a global community

Be part of the movement which is redefining how creators and clients work together. Find out how other innovators are navigating the challenges of protecting their ideas, and get to know the companies that are committed to respecting intellectual property rights. Through our platform, you can also access a wealth of content about the latest developments on IP protection and stay informed about your rights as an innovator.

PitchMark helps innovators deter idea theft, so that clients get the idea but don’t take it. Visit PitchMark.net and register for free as a PitchMark member today.

Topics

Legal affairs

Contacts

Mark Laudi

Press contact Managing Partner service@pitchmark.net (+65) 6223 2249

Are influencers at risk if their client violates trademarks?

Are influencers at risk if the products that they create sponsored posts for infringe upon trademarks? A recent case suggests that this may become an increasing possibility.
Molly Sims, a model and influencer, has become entangled in a trademark infringement lawsuit, with a court refusing to dismiss her because she allegedly caused consumer confusion about an eyebrow product.
What happened

7 September 2021 08:06

Who gets paid when a superhero story succeeds?

This month sees the release of yet another Marvel superhero movie, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. However, a lot of attention is still on the previous entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Black Widow, due to an ongoing lawsuit.
Due to the uncertainties of relying solely on the traditional theatrical release model during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, that movie was released si

7 September 2022 11:13

Why you should PitchMark your ideas before submitting them for Japan’s “Sake Viva!” campaign

The National Tax Agency (NTA) of Japan is asking its youth from the age group of 20 to 39 years to come up with business ideas to help revive the liquor industry. Of course, you should participate, but don’t forget to PitchMark your ideas.
The government believes that certain lifestyle and spending habit changes during the Covid-19 lockdown had drawn the youth away from drinking recreationally,

11 February 2022 13:30

Nike sues StockX for violating trademarks over NFTs

Non-fungible tokens or NFTs continue to be in vogue in 2022, but so have the confusions and legal issues arising from them. In the latest round of actions, Nike has sued StockX for violating trademarks by selling its digital tokens without permission.
StockX is a US-based online resale marketplace that sells streetwear, handbags, and other goods, valued at about US$3.8 billion. In January, it

20 October 2022 12:07

Why PitchMark is calling all IP lawyers to join the Global Legal Network to help innovators

Innovators spend most of their time and energy in creating, and often miss out on protecting their ideas, or learning about different ways to deter third parties, with whom they might share their ideas, from copying them without due credit or compensation.
Nobody expects creators to become legal experts and that's precisely why PitchMark is building a Global Legal Network of law firms and lawye

20 November 2023 12:26

Mariah Carey accused again of copying 'All I Want for Christmas Is You'

Songwriter Andy Stone has filed a second copyright infringement lawsuit against Mariah Carey’s team claiming that her 1994 hit song “All I Want for Christmas is You" is in fact an unauthorized infringement of his 1989 release with the same title.
The action, filed on November 1st against Carey and her co-writer Walter Afanasieff and co-defendants Sony Music Entertainment, Kobalt Music Publishin

20 December 2021 11:07

How care and honour come into play when dealing with IP

John Eastwood – founding partner of Eiger Law and head of the firm’s intellectual property and technology practice – has extensive experience counseling clients on IP matters and more, both within Asia and on both sides of the Strait in Greater China. As chair of the European Chamber of Commerce Taiwan Intellectual Property Rights Committee, he has also worked closely with the European Commission,

7 June 2022 14:27

Did Nike really come up with the 'Ballin' concept, or was it Adobe Bryant who pitched it to them?

Graphic designer Landon T. Jones has filed an idea theft suit against Nike for stealing his design for the NCAA’s “March Madness” promotional campaign.
Jones, aka Adobe Bryant, claims to have pitched his idea to Nike’s marketing executive in April 2020 by providing a Dropbox link.
He further claims that the executive looked at the deck multiple times, but never contacted him to approve or re

7 December 2021 10:08

What creatives and IP lawyers need to learn about one another

A partner and head of IP at TSMP Law Corporation, Adrian Tan brings a unique perspective to the field of IP law, since he first made his name as a creator of IP. As a young man in Singapore, he wrote the best-selling novels The Teenage Textbook and The Teenage Workbook. Through these early book deals, he began to understand intellectual property.

As a lawyer, Adrian now helps others pr

15 August 2023 10:30

Comedian Sarah Silverman and others sue Meta & OpenAI over unauthorized use of their content

Over the past few months, content producers, artists, and publishers have accused Google, OpenAI, Meta, and other AI firms such as Midjourney of utilizing their content to train their models without getting permission from or being compensated for doing so.
Last month, Comedian Sarah Silverman, along with authors Richard Kadrey and Christopher Golden, acting on behalf of unspecified other plain

7 October 2023 10:30

Elon Musk's social media platform sued for copyright infringement by marketing agency

Legal-marketing firm X Social Media LLC filed a lawsuit against X Corp (formerly known as Twitter), in a federal district court in Florida, alleging that the social media giant's new name and related marketing campaign violates its registered trade and service marks featuring the letter "X" constituting both unfair competition and a deceptive trade practice.
The plaintiff is situated in Winderm

Image Source: nobelprize.org / goodreads.com / theguardian.com

9 August 2022 10:00

Novelist John Hughes in hot water over plagiarism accusations

Sydney-based Australian writer-novelist John Hughes and his work "The Dogs" is under intense scrutiny these past few weeks due to allegations of plagiarism. The Guardian Australia investigated and found multiple similarities and identical instances from another literary work, Svetlana Alexievich’s The Unwomanly Face of War. The issue has caused Hughes' work to be removed from the longlist for the

22 March 2023 11:34

The Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger and Keith Richards have allegedly plagiarized their song "Living in a Ghost Town”

Rock band The Rolling Stones’ members Mick Jagger and Keith Richards have been hit with a copyright lawsuit by little-known songwriter Sergio Garcia Fernandez who is alleging that they stole content from his track.
In the lawsuit, Fernandez claims that Jagger and Richards “misappropriated many of the recognizable and key protected elements” from his 2006 song “So Sorry” as well as his 2007 tune

5 April 2023 14:12

Rip-off or not: Jack Daniel's Vs Bad Spaniels – a case involving whiskey and a dog toy

Renowned Tennessee whiskey firm Jack Daniel's is attempting to prohibit the production and distribution of a chewy dog toy called Bad Spaniels, which is decorated in the style of one of its bottles.
The toy features a spaniel and a play on 40% alcohol by volume: "43% poo by volume, 100% smelly."
The bottle is part of the Silly Squeakers series of dog toys, which was created by VIP Products,

4 May 2023 10:30

Katy Perry loses trademark battle with fashion designer Katie Perry

Pop singer Katy Perry has lost a 15-year trademark dispute with an Australian fashion designer Katie Perry.
Katie Taylor, who sells clothing under her birth name Katie Perry, filed a lawsuit against the pop diva, alleging that her merchandise violated a trademark she held.
The Australian designer launched her clothing business in late 2006 and registered “Katie Perry” as a trademark in Austr

2 August 2023 10:40

Fashion retailer H&M sues Chinese rival Shein in Hong Kong for copyright infringement

Chinese fast fashion retailer Shein is now facing yet another action for copyright infringement, this time filed in Hong Kong by Swedish retail giant H&M.
H&M accused Shein and Zoetop Business Co, the Hong Kong-based entity previously owned by Shein, of infringing its copyright-protected designs, including swimwear and sweaters.
According to Bloomberg, the lawsuit included details an

Image Source: imdb.com / logos.fandom.com

2 August 2022 09:15

Writer Christine Davis accused actress Quinta Brunson and ABC of plagiarizing Emmy-nominated series

Writer, performer, and artist Christine Davis has accused Quinta Brunson, the creator of the popular television show "Abbott Elementary," and the network behind it, ABC, of copyright violations.
She has alleged that the show is a copy of her own script "This School Year."
Davis wrote the script for her series about filming a television comedy at school in 2018, and registered the copyright f

23 November 2022 13:31

GUESS called out by graffiti artist Banksy for using his designs without permission

Renowned graffiti artist Banksy has accused fashion retailer GUESS of allegedly stealing his artwork and exploiting it for promotional purposes without giving proper credit or taking permission. GUESS has since clarified its position.
A GUESS store window on Regent Street displayed Banksy's most famous artwork, The Flower Thrower, Flower Bomber, Rage, or Love is in the Air.
It showed an imag

4 January 2023 13:34

Japan court orders JPY 500 million in damages over "fast movie" uploads that earned just JPY 7 million for the infringer

With an aim to deter unauthorized use of copyright-protected work for personal benefits, the Tokyo District Court ordered a man and woman in their 20s to pay JPY 500 million (USD3.6 million) in damages for uploading minutes-long, edited versions of their films - known as "fast movies" on YouTube - without permission.
The duo edited and published ‘fast movies’ for 54 works, including "Shin Godz

28 October 2022 11:30

Marvel's “Werewolf by Night” called out for plagiarizing poster graphics

While Marvel's show Werewolf by Night has gained a lot of popularity amongst its viewers, it has been accused of copying its poster image of a werewolf with red eyes from a graphic designer.
Estonia-based Midiankai has accused Marvel of stealing his design that he had created six years ago as a T-shirt image for hardcore Dutch band Born from Pain.
Midiankai tweeted a photo of his design alon

6 February 2023 10:20

Korea start-up Algocare accuses Lotte Healthcare of stealing its AI-powered tech

A Korean startup has accused the Lotte conglomerate of stealing its AI-powered nutrient dispenser technology and using it in their own product. In order to prevent further violations of small businesses, one of the Korean government's ministries will find a resolution, either through mediation or litigation.
Algocare is a Korean healthcare startup recognized for winning the CES Innovation Award

17 January 2023 10:00

Donald Trump accused of using copyright-protected images in his NFT collection

Former US president Donald Trump has been accused of using copyright-protected photos in his NFT collection, with social media users calling his money-making endeavor a "scam".
Last month, Trump launched 45,000 photos as an NFT collection called ‘Collect Trump Cards’, or ‘Trump Digital Trading Cards’ as it’s officially known on OpenSea.
The collection, which depicts him as various characters

30 September 2022 11:24

Did Kylie Jenner copy marketing ideas from influencers Brooklyn and Bailey?

Sisters vs. sisters. Media personalities Kylie Jenner and Kourtney Kardashian have come under fire for using marketing tactics for their brands Lemme and Kylie Skin from influencers Brooklyn and Bailey McKnight.
In August, twin sisters Brooklyn and Bailey launched ITK (“in the know”), a 15-piece skincare line available at Walmart, which has been marketed on all their social media accounts.

Images from respective Instagram accounts

25 June 2022 10:53

Kim Kardashian’s skin care brand SKKN called out for similarities to two existing brand names - SKKN+ and SKN by LH

SKKN by KIM, Kim Kardashian's recently launched skincare brand has been accused of stealing its name from two already existing beauty brands SKKN+ and Lori Harvey's skincare line SKN by LH.
In July 2021, Kardashian’s legal team received a cease-and-desist from a company, Beauty Concepts LLC, whose owner Cyndie Lunsford claimed that she has been operating salons under

7 November 2022 10:28

South Indian blockbuster Kantara accused of ripping off music band Thaikkudam Bridge’s song

Hit Indian movie Kantara has been accused of plagiarism by popular music band Thaikkudam Bridge, which has alleged that the song Varaha Roopam from the film is a copy of its song Navarasam with its identical melody and chords.
The band took to social media to express their frustration.
It shared the album cover of their music alongside the poster of Varaha Roopam on Instagram to inform thei

27 September 2023 10:30

John Grisham, George RR Martin and several other authors sue OpenAI for copyright violations

Several artificial intelligence platforms are facing a slew of lawsuits from writers, visual artists, and source-code writers.
Most recently, 17 authors, including John Grisham, Jodi Picoult, and George R.R. Martin, are suing OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, for "systematic theft on a mass scale," the latest in a wave of legal action by writers concerned that artificial intelligence program

10 October 2023 12:43

BackGrid sues Audacy for copyright infringement

BackGrid USA, a celebrity news agency, has filed a lawsuit against Audacy, a free broadcast and internet radio platform, alleging that it violated BackGrid’s copyrights in 21 pictures by posting them on its websites without authorization.
The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the location of Audacy's corporate headquarters in September. Audacy su

23 October 2023 11:10

Music publishers sue AI startup Anthropic over copyright infringement

Universal Music Group (UMG), Concord Publishing, and ABKCO Music & Records have launched a lawsuit against Anthropic, accusing them of committing direct, vicarious, and contributory copyright infringement when training its AI chatbot, Claude.
The lawsuit, filed in the Nashville Division of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee on October 18, claims that Anthr

20 July 2023 13:00

Mexican Government and three US-based designers accused Chinese fashion giant Shein of stealing designs

The Chinese fast fashion giant Shein is facing new copyright infringement allegations emanating from two different nations. The Mexican Government accused the company of copying indigenous art, and a lawsuit has been filed in the United States by three fashion designers blaming the company for stealing their clothing designs.

The Ministry of Culture of the Government of Mexico sent a letter

Image source: imdb.com / Philippine Star

8 July 2022 10:45

Filmmaker Lauren Greenfield accuses marketing company in the Philippines of using photograph of former first lady Imelda Marcos

American documentary filmmaker Lauren Greenfield has accused a billboard company in the Philippines of using a copyright protected photograph of the former first lady Imelda Marcos.

The photograph of Marcos in a red gown was used in publicity posters from Greenfield’s award-winning documentary 2019 “The Kingmaker,” which chronicles the life and career of Marcos and her husband, ousted Pr

2 February 2023 11:03

Lensa app accused of stealing artworks to create online pictures

Australia-based artist Kim Leutwyler has accused the Lensa app of stealing artists' work in order to create artificial intelligence (AI)-based self-portraits and has demanded stringent copyright laws to combat AI-generated art.
The photo and video editor app Lensa recently launched an AI-based feature called "magic avatar" that uses AI to produce stylized portraits of users who upload pictures