Brand protection and product protection are crucial considerations for those in the automotive industry. But brand value protection is a more comprehensive concept, which encompasses all efforts to protect the brand name, reputation, and the quality and integrity of the products.
Automotive is one of the largest consumer industries worldwide, so those in the field need to remain competitive and protect their brand value now more than ever. The International Chamber of Commerce projected that the global economic value of counterfeiting and piracy could reach $2.3 trillion in 2022 and counterfeit auto parts represent a huge piece of that illicit market. The European Office of Intellectual Property (EUIPO) estimates that €2.2 billion is lost every year by the parts industry to counterfeit tire sales and €180 million to counterfeit battery sales.
Automotive brands are under siege by counterfeiters, but there are 5 areas every company can secure to fight back and protect their products and customers while meeting their brand value protection challenges.
Use the Product’s Unique Fingerprint
Some companies balk at the idea of changing some of or the whole manufacturing process when implementing an anti-counterfeit strategy. It can be expensive and a major headache. However, just like humans, each product has its own unique fingerprint that companies can take advantage of to make fighting counterfeit goods easier and more efficient.
Start an Anti-Counterfeiting Strategy Today
By recording these unique fingerprints, companies can incorporate their anti-counterfeit solution without much worry. This unique fingerprint is registered in a secure database in the cloud that allows anyone in the supply chain to verify and authenticate the product. U-NICA provides this anti-counterfeit solution through surTRACE®.
Create Invisible or Holographic Markings in the Product
However, the best anti-counterfeit solutions include multiple layers of protection, so it is always recommended to have more than one.
Give an Added Anti-Counterfeit Security Measure
Though surTRACE® offers great product and brand protection, companies can add an additional layer of counterfeit protection through integrating a non-affecting additive into the plastic molding or liquids in printing, which is invisible to the naked eye.
Another anti-counterfeit security measure is to add holographic elements that are not invisible, but harder to counterfeit, which allows members in the supply chain to verify the product more easily.
Adding additional elements to a product depends on the specific product and where in the manufacturing process the company would like to incorporate it. The only wrong answer is having just one level of counterfeit protection because the more layers a company has, the better to fight off counterfeiters.
Upgrade the Packaging for Better Counterfeit Protection
Combating counterfeiters is a huge challenge in any industry. Besides the product itself, counterfeiters will try to mimic original packaging and labels to minimize the chance their counterfeits will be detected.
Add a Digital Security Label
Therefore, an additional layer in a company’s anti-counterfeit strategy can be to add a Digital Security Label™. This U-NICA product is tailor-made for each company and is easy to implement on every package as no special equipment is needed. The only thing each member of the supply chain needs to do is download the verification app on a smartphone.
Involve the Whole Supply Chain in the Anti-Counterfeit Fight
From manufacturers to mechanics to drivers, anyone can scan the Digital Security Label™ with their smartphone app and authenticate the product. Therefore, everyone plays a role in the continual safety of automotive users.
An Easy Smartphone Product Authentication App
Any automotive anti-counterfeit strategy should give each product protection from the moment the parts are assembled to when they are installed in the vehicle. By including different supply chain members in this process with an easy to use verification app, companies can rest easier knowing that their brand protection is at its highest.
Constantly Learn and Improve with Anti-Counterfeit Data
In today’s data-driven world, knowledge is power, and this is especially true for the fast-paced automotive industry. Every year, a range of new technologies are introduced that improve processes and bring important updates to vehicles. All relevant data must be properly maintained and secured so it can be used for better decision-making and targeting.
The Cloud is the Last Anti-Counterfeit Security Layer
This research also includes the last part of any anti-counterfeit solution, a secure database in the cloud to monitor the market and the products against counterfeiters. Every scan of the Digital Security Label™ goes into the cloud so companies can see where the product is allowing for the current anti-counterfeit strategy to be updated if necessary.
Get in touch with the team at U-NICA to learn more about the different anti-counterfeit solutions available for any company today.
