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| The UK Embassy in Hong Kong, @ITMA invitees saw inside |
Dear INTA
Thank you for taking the Annual Meeting to Asia for the first time in the history of INTA and, particularly, for holding the Meeting in Hong Kong.
[ The central location of the Convention Centre, the ready availability of free wifi and the excellence of the transport system made it possible for all to meet and greet centrally or remotely as appropriate to the business in hand ].
They say you always remember your “first INTA”.
[ Though, in my case, this may well have been a “ first USTA” as it was the Meeting in Seattle in the early 1990s, and the name-transition from United States Trademark Association to International Trademark Association took place in 1993 ].
I mention this because I’ve come back to the UK feeling I’ve experienced another “first INTA”. For example, I will not easily forget :
(a) the spectacular Grand Hall of the Convention Centre at the Opening Ceremony
(b) a Reception at the British Consulate-General hosted by the Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys
(c) a (less formal) Reception at the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club to “Meet The Bloggers”
(d) a final Session on the topic : “Local Script Marks: What Do Yours Say About You?” - the Duck is impressed that one session gets a note - well done
(e) my several visits to the Exhibition Hall (learning new things on each visit), and
(f) all the new faces and new names and new business cards (many carrying a message appropriate to a visit to Hong Kong in the Chinese Year of the Horse).
[ This is my personal list. Others will have theirs (and theirs will probably include visiting Disneyland for the Grand Finale) ].
Of course, you could not control the weather.
[ I rather enjoyed the night-time light-shows happening beyond the window of my hotel room on the 35th Floor ].
But Hong Kong is an extraordinary city washed by the South China Seas and weather is only one of its many extremes. The energy of the Hong Kong people and their ability to “do business” anywhere and everywhere provided a wonderful backdrop to a Conference devoted to marks “used in trade” and (for me) made a significant contribution to the success of INTA 2014.
[ Can I mention the men with INTA badges seen heading for the Menswear Department of M&S in Central – presumably to “do some shopping” viz : buy socks and shirts whilst their own dried off in the air-conditioning of hotel rooms ? ]
I wish you well for San Diego in 2015.
[ Though I’m delaying a decision on whether I’ll be able to join you – it’s going to take me a while to follow through on INTA 2014 ].
Yours etc.
Being a solo practitioner, Sally is fortunate that she doesn't have to write a report for business development about how many new clients she signed up or what prospects she has of bringing in new Asian work. I expect many will find it difficult to know what to do with those business cards, once they have been dried, scanned and entered into the database. Let us know what you are doing with yours
I was delighted to find an M&S to be able to buy some English style tea at reasonable prices.
ReplyDeleteI brought PCTeabags to China to give out, and took back M&S strong Englsih tea. Much cheaper than buying anything drinkable in Israel.
A suit or shirt in M&S is about twice the price of a made-to-measure in Hong Kong suit. Definitely a good place for socks though.
As to the business cards, I've developed a game that's a cross between poker, happy family and snap. It is great for playing with competitors on the flight home. I've also corrupted the kids. I've told them that it will be in ToysRUs Shortly, and I went all around Hong Kong looking for a new gave for them.