TIG Global Simplifies Online Marketing and Brand Protection
TIG Global, Cyveillance, and HSMAI Publish "Profits and Pitfalls in Online Marketing"
WASHINGTON, DC, October 3, 2006. With online travel purchasing continuing to scale at a feverish pace, the new TIG Global Special Report examines the increasingly important challenge travel executives face in managing their invaluable brands, trademarks, and other intellectual property in the dynamic digital landscape. As brand infringement continues to impact the travel industry, TIG Global, the leading interactive marketing company for the travel industry, has partnered with online risk management expert Cyveillance and the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Foundation to provide executives with a legal desk reference for simplifying online brand protection.
The new report, "Profits and Pitfalls in Online Marketing: A Legal Desk Reference for Travel Executives," provides travel professionals with practical instruction and easy reference checklists for navigating evolving laws in the online environment. The report follows on the success of the extremely influential 2005 TIG Global Special Report, "Demystifying Distribution."
"Travel is the single largest category of electronic commerce," said Trip Schneck, president of TIG Global. "Competing in the online channel creates new challenges, and even something as simple as a photo choice on a travel website has legal ramifications. 'Profits and Pitfalls' shares the expertise TIG Global has gained through work with hundreds of travel companies to help others in the industry leverage the online channel and proactively manage risks associated with the broad use of their trademarks and other intellectual property on the Internet. It is the first comprehensive analysis and solution guide for travel marketers to navigate the still shifting sands of online marketing and asset protection online."
Practitioners will learn how seemingly simple website and marketing decisions touch on complex legal topics, and how to proactively manage content and brands to avoid legal challenges.
Topics include:
-- Trademark law, copyright law, and contract law
-- The law of privacy and rights of publicity
-- The laws surrounding "push marketing" like email campaigns
-- The laws affecting "pull marketing" like pay-per-click advertising campaigns
-- Laws affecting the use of photography online
-- Issues surrounding negative feedback on travel review sites
-- Combating improper online activities by competitors and third parties
"Marketers' failure to proactively protect their intellectual property online and to ensure third parties do not run afoul of their rights costs travel companies revenue, profits, brand value, and goodwill," said Mike Heilbronner, co-author and president of the intellectual property law firm IdeaLegal, P.C. "All businesses have a vested interest in ensuring their employees take a forward-looking view of daily business decisions to avoid lost business opportunities and costly legal problems. Although legal issues ultimately will be handled by attorneys, professionals can more ably avert difficulties simply by being aware of online opportunities, best practices, and risks to ensure they are protecting and maximizing their online position."
"As a leading provider of risk monitoring and management solutions, Cyveillance works with our customers to protect their brands on a daily basis," said Todd Bransford, vice president of marketing for Cyveillance. "This report provides companies with a comprehensive evaluation of current online issues and legal guidance on how to protect against brand infringements. This should be a 'must read' for any company doing business online."
"We are thrilled to participate with TIG Global in yet another groundbreaking publication that will help travel marketers leverage the online channel to maximize revenue and profits for their hotels and other businesses," said Robert A. Gilbert, CEO and president of HSMAI. "Our 7,000 hotel and hospitality members worldwide are increasingly focused on these issues. Many travel companies are doing very innovative marketing online, but they often operate at risk because they are not experts in the legal issues. This guide will allow them to leverage the marketplace and avoid costly errors."
"Profits and Pitfalls" is authored by Mike Heilbronner, Esq., of IdeaLegal, Sue Heilbronner of TIG Global, and Cindy Estis Green of The Estis Group.
Copies of the Special Report are available for purchase at TIGglobal.com and HSMAI.org. Bulk orders for educational institutions and corporations are available upon request from TIG Global or HSMAI.
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