WIPO’s Todd Reves on the Latest Developments at the World Intellectual Property Office
Todd Reves of WIPO shares insights on WIPO’s growth and improvements, along with advice on countering counterfeits and the impact of AI.


In this episode, Branddy speaks with Todd Reves, Director, Building Respect for IP Division, WIPO.
During the episode, they discuss Todd's journey from a customs officer to the Director of the Building Respect for IP Division at WIPO, the pressing need for robust IP policies, especially in the face of advancing technology and its impact on consumer safety and industry integrity.
Get in touch with your host, Branddy Spence.
Topics discussed
- The critical role of IP in protecting consumers from counterfeit products.
- Positive shifts in global IP protection over the last decade.
- Challenges and opportunities posed by evolving technology in IP enforcement.
- WIPO initiatives, including WIPO Alert and the IPAS Customs Recordation System.
- Predictions for the future of IP enforcement, emphasizing the significance of advanced technology like AI
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Guest quotes
#1.) There's always room for improvement. But in the last 10 years that I've been attached to WIPO, I've noticed that Member States are really thinking more about the IP enforcement side. Of course, you have to have protection. But, without enforcement, protection is really meaningless
7.03 - 7.29
#2.) If we can really identify how to use technology in the right way, and in an efficient way, whether that's through targeting or using AI to help us identify counterfeit products or pirated content online, and the less humans actually have to spend time looking at this, the better.
9.28 - 9.52
#3.) What happens with this database (WIPO Alert) is, you've got the contributors contributing lists of copyright infringing websites; domain names that have been found have been determined to be infringing, typically through a website blocking order. Once that national authority or authorized contributor uploads that list in the database, then on the other end, the advertisers have access to that. And the great thing about it is they can use those domain name to block any advertising that would otherwise go to these illegal content infringing websites.
11.05 - 11.46
#4.) What we're trying to do is create this system that will allow right holders to basically file a customs recordation electronically. The customs system will talk with the IPAS system at the IP office, make sure that the right is recordable, it's enforceable, and then it returns that back to the customs system and those customs officers will be able to make those determinations. We're gonna build in a lot of data fields, not just what's in the IP office system, but more custom, specific data fields.
15.15 - 15.50
#5.) We have the systems that will help right holders to reach out to as many different member states’ countries as possible. It's a lot more effective than just going at it alone. So, get those rights registered. And then, once they're registered, you've got to make your contacts in those countries, whether they're local lawyers, right holder associations, whatever the case may be.
21.36 - 22.04
Resources mentioned
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All 25 episodes
- 25Vivek Jayaram on Educating the Next Generation of IP Lawyers
- 24Maura Regan of Licensing International on New Approaches to IP Management
- 23Eproint’s Gabriela Bodden Explores IP Challenges in the Caribbean and Latin America
- 22WIPO’s Todd Reves on the Latest Developments at the World Intellectual Property Office
- 21Maral Behnam-Garcia on the Three Pillars for Brand Success
- 20INTA CEO Etienne Sanz de Acedo on Transforming IP into a Revenue Center
- 19AAFA’s Steve Lamar on Protecting Fashion IP in an Evolving Digital World
- 18NRF's Stephanie Martz’s Expert Advice on Harnessing Innovation in Retail
- 17Purple’s James Larson on Brand Protection in the Age of AI
- 16Nestlé's Myrtha Hurtado Rivas on How IP Protection Strategies Should Respond to Evolving Technology
- 15StockX's Paul Foley on How to Build a Brand Protection Authentication Strategy
- 14ZipString's Austin Hillam on How to Protect Your Inventions and Keep Innovation Going
- 13Kawaii Lighting's Lan Bui on Why Counterfeits Will Never Stand Up Against High-Quality Products
- 12Taking Swift Action to Protect Your IP with SwiftPaws' Meghan Wolfgram
- 11Warner Music Group's Matthew Walters-Bowens on How Musicians Can Keep Their Creative Work Protected
- 10Tapping into IP Protection Resources with Draft Top's Armand Ferranti
- 09Navigating the Processes of Knockoff Takedowns with NightCap's Michael Benarde
- 08Winning the Game of IP Protection with USAOPOLY's Paul May
- 07The Role of IP Professionals in Business Strategy with BEDGEAR's Joseph Codispoti
- 06Buzzfeed's Assistant GC on the Growing Landscape of IP Protection and Online Content Creation
- 05Keeping Your Brand Protected by Keeping Ahead of Technology
- 04Protecting IP - and People's Dreams - Through Collaboration and Anti-Counterfeiting
- 03An In-House Counsel's Guide to IP Protection and Licensing at a Large Media Company
- 02How Brands Can Achieve Consistent and Scalable Success in Protecting Their IP
- 01Beyond IP Enforcement: Protecting Your Brand's Reputation with Data, AI, and Stakeholder Communication
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