Building respect for intellectual property (IP) involves more than just enforcement; we also have to educate, inform and change attitudes. We assist our member states to design national strategies for building respect for IP and to develop tools for use in awareness raising, in particular among young people.
Our interactive website, Respectforip.org and specific projects, aims to raise young people's awareness and understanding of copyright and trademarks.
This module – supported by funds-in-trust provided by the Republic of Korea – consists of five units designed for children aged 10 to 15. It aims to develop a better understanding of creative activity and the links to IP through debate and discussion. Printable version for students 
, for teachers .
This module – supported by funds-in-trust provided by the Japan Patent Office – offers three units for young people aged 14 to 19. It focuses on the role of trademarks in modern society and the creativity which goes into the development of brands. Printable version for students , for teachers .
IP and Citizen Journalism – Senegal is an IP awareness-raising project for school students, designed and implemented by the WIPO Building Respect for IP Division (BRIP) with the generous support of the Republic of Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MSCT).
A selection of videos on the theme of raising awareness in schools.
Video on YouTube: A secondary school student in Botswana learns that school text books are protected by copyright.
Video on YouTube: Children in Malawi learn about the importance of respecting copyright.
With the support of the Government of Japan – WIPO organized the "Real Manga" competition, inviting Japanese manga artists to create an original work highlighting the health and safety risks associated with counterfeits.
WIPO launched a Manhwa on Copyright Enforcement with the support of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) of the Republic of Korea.
Meet "Pororo, the Little Penguin", a lovable character that helps young children get a basic grasp of IP. This animation series was developed with financial assistance from funds-in-trust provided by the Korean Intellectual Property Office and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. A Practical Guide
for Parents and Teachers.
Pororo and friends invent a jet-engine sled. They discover the nature of invention and the importance of keeping records of the development process.
Watch the Video on YouTube | Download the workbook
Pororo and friends enter the jet-engine sled in an invention contest, and learn about the basic conditions that must be satisfied before an invention can qualify for legal protection.
Watch the Video on YouTube | Download the workbook
Pororo and friends learn about the nature of the design process when they decide to redesign their sled to improve its look and performance. They begin work by brainstorming all the changes they wish to make. The redesigned model proves to be a success, and many friends line up asking for a sled of their own.
Watch the Video on YouTube
Pororo and friends discover the benefits of trademarks, when sleds made by the Rabbit Twins are mistaken for Pororo’s sled. The friends learn what makes a valid trademark and invent a suitable name and logo.
Watch the Video on YouTube | Download the workbook
Pororo and friends learn the importance of respecting IP rights. The Super Sled is a hit in Invention Town until news that one was involved in a crash. On investigation, it turns out that the sled was a counterfeit version made by Brown Bear. Helped by Judge Hippo, Pororo and his friends investigate…
Watch the Video on YouTube
Pororo and Crong enter a picture competition, but problems arise when it turns out that someone has been copying an existing picture without permission. Pororo and his friends learn that original creative works are the property of their authors and not free for anyone else to exploit as they please.
Watch the Video on YouTubeWith the help of Indecopi, Peru, we have produced three animated videos that explain IP-related topics in a fun and engaging way for older children. [Download print versions]
At the annual meetings of WIPO's Advisory Committee on Enforcement, member states come together to share views and experiences relating to building respect for IP.
Awareness raising is a frequent topic of discussion and many imaginative communications initiatives have been presented by national authorities and the private sector.
Featured initiative
Introducing Copyright issues and respect for IP rights through a video
We regularly organize exhibitions on the margins of Advisory Committee on Enforcement (ACE) meetings. In 2019, the “ACE Cinema” screened some 50 anti‑piracy and anti‑counterfeiting awareness-raising videos, showcasing the creative ways in which IP offices and private sector bodies across the world illustrate the dangers posed by IP infringements and emphasize the importance of respecting IP in daily life.
Exhibition archives [PDF]: 2022 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014
Brazil: 30 students embarked in a playful initiative about the importance of IP rights
Awareness raising is an essential component of any strategy to build respect for IP. The tactics involved in any strategy include not only public communications, but also practical steps such as:
The WIPO Consumer Survey Toolkit on Building Respect for IP enables national authorities to design strategies appropriate to the infringement profile of the territory in question.
To measure consumer behavior and evaluate public communication campaigns to build Respect for IP
DownloadThe initial phase in developing a strategy is to assess the current IP environment in the country, studying in particular the level of consumer perception of IP and awareness of legal and social impact of IP infringing activities. This phase would include an evaluation of the various awareness activities already undertaken at the national level, analyzing the achievements and the related challenges. Consumer surveys, as provided for in the WIPO Consumer Survey Toolkit, focus group meetings, and questionnaires to key players may be used.
Once the environment in the context of respect for IP has been assessed and evaluated, the goals of the strategy should be defined. It is important to identify the specific behavior that the strategy would seek to modify (e.g., reduce purchases of counterfeit medicines).
The key target groups are those that are to adopt the relevant change of behavior, or are needed to bring that change about. Examples in the first category would include young people, adult consumers or the public in general. In the latter category, one might include law enforcement officials, the media or distributors of IP-protected goods.
There are a variety of awareness-raising activities on building respect for IP that may be developed and adapted in light of the targeted objectives. The message underlying each activity will probably vary and may include: the easy availability of legitimate products, the unfairness of counterfeiting and piracy to creators and innovators, or the damage caused to employment, culture or public health.
The duration of the strategy should be determined, broken down into phases by reference to defined goals, target groups and activities.
Each activity will need to be monitored and, upon completion, evaluated against the initial objectives. The WIPO Consumer Survey Toolkit provides a template questionnaire for use in evaluating the effectiveness of communications strategies after the event.
A range of awareness-raising materials in several languages produced by EU Observatory stakeholders.
IP teaching resources developed in EUIPO Member States.
