MORE FROM MALTA

The 2006 MARQUES trade mark conference continues apace. Last night was ostensibly a jaunt to the Villa Bighi, a former hospital that has now been turned into a pleasure zone for visiting conference participants. However, the heated debate over ambush marketing that characterised the working part of the day spilled over into the drinks and canapes; indeed, discussion even drowned out the brass band and firework display. There was much agreement with the observation of Peter Wild (Wild Schnyder AG, Switzerland) that sponsors should be more proactive: everything that an ambush marketer does is something that the sponsor could also have done, if he'd only been a bit more imaginative.

Left: a problem for trade mark lawyers - lookalike canapes. Can you spot the original?

Today's programme features workshop sessions on geographical indications, ingredient branding, .eu, WIPO arbitrations, lookalikes and (for anyone suffering from insomnia, an unkind person might say) brand valuation. The IPKat will post further notes on the MARQUES conference in due course, so watch this space ...