Innovation Alliance Launches Ad Campaign to Protect America’s Inventors and Promote Patents as Key to U.S. Economy, Responding to Irresponsible “Patent Troll” Narrative
WASHINGTON – The Innovation Alliance launched a multi-million-dollar, multi-state ad campaign today to respond to the irresponsible “troll narrative” that increasingly paints patents and patent holders as a drag on the U.S. economy. The campaign, entitled Who’s Trolling Who?, reveals that overbroad and misleading language is being used to push an anti-patent agenda in Washington, D.C., and around the country that will only be detrimental to American innovation, individual inventors, job creation and the national economy.
The campaign highlights the misuse of the term “patent troll” by technology incumbents and other large corporations who are using fringe abuses of the patent system to push for a much broader weakening of the entire system.
“While highlighting the behavior of the relatively few patent holders who game the litigation system in patent cases for their own gain, they willfully ignore the vast benefits that patents and the patent system have delivered to the U.S. economy throughout American history,” said Brian Pomper, Executive Director of the Innovation Alliance. “By doing so, they are attempting to seed public opinion in favor of any measure to combat the ‘patent trolls,’ irrespective of whether it would weaken patent rights for everyone, undermining the foundation of the patent system and ultimately the U.S. economy.”
The Innovation Alliance believes that the U.S. patent system has been a critical factor in building the greatest economy the world has ever known, and that we should tread carefully in making wholesale changes. “We are very sympathetic to the concerns of consumers and ‘mom and pop’ retail stores targeted by litigation abuse and support balanced reforms that would improve the system for all stakeholders,” Pomper continued. “Where there are abuses, we should adopt targeted measures to address those abuses, but we need to engage in a fact-driven debate. The stakes are far too high to be ruled by emotional reactions to the ‘patent troll’ narrative.”
The Innovation Alliance campaign will include a website – www.savetheinventor.com – that will share the stories of inventors who could see their livelihood, their futures, and the future of American innovation threatened by a weakening of the patent system. The website will also offer the ability to send a message to members of Congress, advocating that instead of weakening the patent system, they actively work to make it stronger.
“The ‘patent troll’ narrative presents a caricature of patent holders in the United States, the vast majority of whom are engaging in positive economic activity that creates jobs, develops new, innovative products, and benefits us all,” said Pomper. “This campaign is intended to highlight those positive contributions patents make to the U.S. economy.”
The Innovation Alliance represents innovators, patent owners, and stakeholders from a diverse range of industries that believe in the critical importance of maintaining a strong patent system that supports innovative enterprises of all sizes. Innovation Alliance members can be found in large and small communities across the country, helping to fuel the innovation pipeline and drive the 21st century economy. For more information, please visit: www.savetheinventor.com
Contact:
Jaime Horn, 202-827-7859, Jaime@blueenginemedia.com
Amber McDowell, 202-827-7862, Amber@blueenginemedia.com