Vibram enjoys the loyalty of millions of consumers who often connect and interact through blogs and online communities.
Vibram's Stand on the
"Stop Online Piracy Act"
Within a few years of launching our first FiveFingers® product, Vibram was forced to address unauthorized foreign websites that were deceptively using the company's name, image and registered trademarks to sell fraudulent and inferior products to unsuspecting consumers. Vibram continues to fight this problem and is careful to warn consumers of the risks involved:
- Counterfeiters deliver products of inferior quality, if they are delivered at all
- Counterfeit websales compromise the personal and financial information of consumers
- Counterfeit production facilities often flagrantly ignore fair labor and employment practices.
Vibram also began to aggressively prosecute counterfeiters, but, given the ease with which one could purchase a domain name and set up a fraudulent business, it was and still is an uphill battle. Accordingly, we chose to join forces with other brands in the outdoor industry to fight this problem.
In February, 2011, Vibram signed on to a letter circulated by the Outdoor Industry Association supporting government action against intellectual property theft via "rogue websites". This letter was delivered to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Our company's name was added to a list on one of the Chamber's websites on this issue (fightonlinetheft.com). On this site, they list several examples of legislation aimed to combat counterfeiting, including SOPA. As a result, many assumed Vibram supported this legislation, directly.
The truth is, Vibram has not taken a position in favor of or opposed to SOPA. We will continue to monitor this bill and provide suggestions that will result in legislation that disrupts the efforts of counterfeiters without risking Internet censorship.
Vibram enjoys the loyalty of millions of consumers who often connect and interact through blogs and online communities. In fact, we attribute much of our success to the virtual dialogues and information sharing that have taken place on our behalf. Vibram will continue to work diligently to ensure consumers receive premium quality, authentic Vibram products while maintaining freedom of speech on the web.
