What makes a trademark strong – and what does it take to make it even stronger? What is artificial intelligence allowed to do? And where does inspiration end and theft begin? At the event Brands Pop-up, we’re asking exactly these questions. Loudly, openly, and without any sugarcoating.
The Austrian Patent Office and the EUIPO (European Union Intellectual Property Office) are bringing together Austria’s creative scene – designers, creatives, agencies, and trademark experts – for real discussions instead of technical presentations. With panel talks, keynotes, DJ sets, drinks, and finger food. And each time in a different Austrian creative capital.
Brands Pop-up @Linz
At DOPA3 in Linz, we explored the burning questions preoccupying people in the creative scene: When does a brand need a rebrand? What role does artificial intelligence play in the creative industry? And what should you do if your intellectual property appears online without permission?
Photos: Jürgen Grill
The talks at the Brands Pop-up @Linz
Rebranding: When and How?
Silvia Lackner (CEO, Die Jungen Wilden), Maria Daniela Mutz (Legal Expert, Austrian Patent Office), Jürgen Tröbinger (Head of Communications and Marketing, City of Linz), and Alexander Zauner (Professor, JKU Linz, and Managing Partner, Business Gladiators Consulting) discussed the dos and don’ts of rebranding.
Artificial Intelligence and Creativity
Ines Thomsen (photographer), Holger Kunz (Team Leader Operations, EUIPO), Klaus Lindinger (Owner, Conquest), and Matthias Röder (Managing Director, Karajan Institute) discussed the opportunities and limitations of artificial intelligence in creative professions.
Intellectual Property (IP) in Digital Communication
Viktoria Buchberger (content creator), Hana Greiner (Creative Director, Cope Content Performance Group), Evelyn Höllrigl-Tschaikner (author and content creator), and Katja Wyrobek (Data Protection Officer, Porsche Holding GmbH) shared their personal experiences—and how they dealt with the unauthorized use of their content.
The talks were streamed live on social media and recorded. You can watch the recordings here:
Brands Pop-up @Graz
At the Kunsthauscafé Graz, the focus was on artificial intelligence, memes in advertising, and agencies’ day-to-day work with intellectual property.
Photos: jack-coleman.com/Mandl
The talks at the Brands Pop-up @Graz
Artificial Creation – Who Owns It?
Who is allowed to design what with AI and use the result? On the panel were Kurt Fleisch (deepfake satirist), Elisabeth Hödl (practicing professor of IT law, KFU Graz), Tom Lohner (artist and co-owner, Bakerhouse Gallery), Katharina Schell (Deputy Editor-in-Chief, APA), and Christian Weber (Co-Managing Director and CTO, Leftshift One).
Copied, Altered, Assembled: Is That Allowed?
Memes in art and advertising – where are the boundaries? Harald Günther (attorney-at-law), Philip Haubner (Head of Marketing, Gewista), and Yves-Michel Sass (Director art + knowledge, treat.agency) shared insights from both practical and legal perspectives.
Brands and Co.: More Good than Bad?
The agency and marketing talk with María Baldares del Barco (EUIPO), Thomas Hotko (trademark expert and Managing Partner, Brainds), Dieter Weber (Managing Director, Ankünder GmbH), and Christian Wolf (CEO, Jack Coleman Agency).
All talks are available to listen to on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Simplecast.
Brands Pop-up @Wien
At the very first Brands Pop-up event, Vienna’s creative scene gathered at hip venue Sneak-In for five talks exploring the joys and challenges of dealing with intellectual property. They discussed what qualifies as artistic reinterpretation or blatant imitation, and whether trademarks, copyrights, and design protection are valuable tools or just buzzwords.
Photos: APA/Reither
The talks at the Brands Pop-up @Wien
Viennese Originals
Everyday stories between the sausage kiosk, the internet, and the paywall. Panelists: Michael Lanner (Wiener Würstelstand), Lukas Berger (1000things)
Bands will be Brands
Making music between merchandise, streaming services, and ticket sales. Panelists: Elias Oldofredi (artist manager), Lukas Sticksel (Horst, O – Der Klub), Maria Daniela Mutz (Austrian Patent Office), David Buder (matches music)
Content Brand, Brand Content
The agency talk. Panelists: Mateusz Szmalec (Good Life Crew), Christian Gstöttner (Obscura), Alfred Noll (attorney-at-law)
Fashion & Design
Under the motto: beautifully stolen. Panelists: Raffaela Pröll (photographer), Maria Oberfrank (Vienna Fashion Week), Ivana Steiner (furniture designer)
Fashion 3.0
Into the metaverse, where digital works are virtually impossible to copy. Panelists: Zuzana Bastian (Jevels VR Jewelry), Birgit Hirsch (attorney-at-law)
All talks are available to listen to on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Simplecast.
The events met the criteria of the Austrian Ecolabel for Green Meetings.
Brands Pop-up is a series of events organized by the Austrian Patent Office in cooperation with the EUIPO (European Union Intellectual Property Office).