BMW Group Brand Protection Global Campaign.

Jakarta.  Product piracy is a problem with ever-greater repercussions, for government, authorities and the public. According to studies from the European Commission, copies and forgeries of brand products already account for an estimated 10 percent of global trade, with the resulting of huge loss of tax revenue and legitimate employment opportunities.

BMW Group considers product piracy as a serious global issue that requires action to protect its customers from safety and financial risks.  BMW Group is willing to do everything possible to fight this kind of infringement. BMW Group headquarters in Munich has therefore initiated its Brand Protection Program, with its execution covering various markets worldwide, including Indonesia.

Product piracy is a huge challenge for the BMW Group and one that it is putting concerted efforts to overcome. In the same way exclusive handbags and watches are copied, parts and other products are branded unlawfully with the BMW trademark and sold in the marketplace as being original. Unfortunately, as a result of the high appeal of BMW and MINI vehicles, in the past few years there has been a noticeable increase in the illegal manufacture of, and now also the global distribution of, counterfeit Original BMW Parts, Original Accessories and items from BMW’s Merchandising & Lifestyle collections.

The BMW Group concentrates on safety measures and puts significant time, energy and funds into carrying out demanding and reliable research. There is no guarantee that counterfeit products adhere to the high-quality standards established by the BMW Group. Use of fake products can then affect the functioning and safety of vehicles, which can lead to wear, damage and even accidents. Counterfeit parts are therefore a considerable safety risk.

An example of the risk is the use of counterfeit alloy wheel.  Alloy wheel is one of the most critical safety related part of the car, however owners sometimes try to upgrade their car to bigger and sportier wheels to look good without considering its  quality and safety aspect.  Counterfeit alloy wheel is exposed to the risk of deformation and break in the inner rim wall, which will put the driver, occupants of the car and public in danger.

Besides the immense consequences on the safety issue, the manufacture and marketing of counterfeit products is, of course, detrimental to the BMW Group’s brand.

BMW Group has made a significant investment in research, development and quality control of its products to ensure that customers get  only the best.  These substandard counterfeit goods lead to the loss of customer trust in BMW’s first-class products. Consequently, another core task of the project is to determine the huge detrimental effects of product piracy on customer trust due to the presence of such inferior counterfeits.   

In order to tackle piracy effectively, the Brand Protection Program has built up a worldwide network. BMW Group realizes that only by acting internationally will it be possible to face the challenge of product piracy. The partnerships have already led to the seizure of counterfeit goods.
 

Another important aspect is the introduction of state-of-the-art technologies that identify original goods beyond doubt. Venture partners, service providers and employees of BMW and car dealerships are receiving training in order to raise their awareness of the substantial problems and risks caused by counterfeit goods.

More information please refer to www.brand-protection-team.com

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The BMW Group

The BMW Group is one of the most successful manufacturers of automobiles and motorcycles in the world with its BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brands. As a global company, the BMW Group operates 24 production facilities in 13 countries and has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

The BMW Group achieved a global sales volume of approximately 1.29 million automobiles and over 87,000 motorcycles for the 2009 financial year.  Total revenue was euro 50.68 billion. At 31 December 2009, the company employed a global workforce of approximately 96,000 associates.

The success of the BMW Group has always been built on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain, comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy. As a result of its efforts, the BMW Group has been ranked industry leader in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes for the last seven years.

BMW in Indonesia

PT. BMW Indonesia is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Munich-based Bayerische Motoren Werke (BMW) AG in Germany. The establishment of this subsidiary in April 2001 reflects the BMW Group’s confidence in the long-term future of Indonesia.  PT. BMW Indonesia’s activities cover the wholesale of BMW and MINI cars, spare parts and accessories, as well as the overall planning of sales, marketing, after-sales, and related activities in Indonesia. Its dealership network covers 11 new car dealers and 1 used-car dealer spread out in various cities in Indonesia. Selected models of the 3 and 5 Series sedans are also assembled in Indonesia by a local partner. More information about BMW Indonesia may be found online at www.bmw.co.id.

For further information please contact:

Helena Abidin

Corporate Communications Director

Tel: +62 -21- 2992 3003            

Mobile: +62-816-968 450

Email: maria.h.abidin@bmw.co.id

Roberto Sumabrata
Corporate Communications
Tel : +62-21-2992 3009 ext 21724
Mobile : +62-818-306 307
Email : roberto.sumabrata@bmw.co.id