A new London based system will allow consumers to verify directly with the brand if a product is real or fake before they buy, using their smartphone.
The system, called Authicode, can even be set to share details like where and when a product was made or if the facility that made it was compliant. This in itself is a feature which in the wake of the horrific Bangladesh disaster is particularly interesting.
The number of fake goods being sold in the UK is increasing rapidly, with Customs reports showing a 49% increase in cases in a single year. The ICC (International Chambers of Commerce) attributes 2.5 million job losses in developed countries to counterfeit activities. No less than 400.000 of which were apparently lost in the UK alone.
So what does the system do? It starts off by allowing brands to use the multi-layer brand protection methodology to individually and intelligently code their genuine products.
Their customers (Authicode calls them brand fans) can scan the product in store. The brand then instantly sends a detailed authentication and information message back to the consumer, regardless of which retailer they are shopping in.
The system also facilitates product registration, allowing warranty maintenance and other relationship building activities to take place.
Marketing, brand protection and corporate responsibility staff within several brands have been allowed to preview Authicode and have given a great response to the focus the system has on brand trust and on-going direct customer relationships.
London based fashion industry specialists Conceptable recently announced it would be handling the roll-out, licensing and partnership building for the Authicode system. The Cloud based platform is extremely quick to deploy and uses the brand's own identity. Brands can run their own Authicode platform for as little as 1p per product manufactured.
The system was developed by a small team led by London based fashion industry specialist Ben Muis. It took three years to perfect the system to a standard that got Muis' approval.
The company has now started offering the finished system to brands. Using Muis’ experience in this field, it has been designed to be compatible with the brands existing supply chain and is compatible with most other anti-counterfeit measures.
Muis commented: “Brands have been using passive anti-counterfeit methods for a long time. In this day and age an interactive approach is far more effective and inclusive. Authicode includes direct consumer relationships as a key benefit to both anti-counterfeit success and brand trust”.
About:
Authicode is an interactive product verification platform which allows brands to communicate product authenticity and other details directly with consumers, who can access the platform directly from their smartphones or other internet connected devices.
It allows brandsto visualise all activity around their normal sales, counterfeit and grey market activity whilst building a relationship with brand fans. Authicode is managed by Conceptable Ltd. The system was developed by Ben Muis, an entrepreneurial London based fashion industry consultant with a background in international fashion brand and licensing management.
