Back in Business

Given the success of virtual networking opportunities at last year’s Annual Meeting & Leadership Meeting, INTA will offer online attendees at the 2021 Annual Meeting even more options to meet new clients, discuss the latest developments, or catch up with old friends from the comfort of their own homes or offices.

Informal and structured opportunities both abound, with the scheduled activities this year occurring at various hours to accommodate registants in time zones around the world.

With the Annual Meeting renowned for bringing the intellectual property community together, INTA’s new Business Development initiative recognizes the need to keep brand professionals connected even when in-person gatherings are not possible. By offering myriad types of Business Development opportunities during the virtual Meeting, the Association’s goal is to provide registrants with plenty of ways to foster their existing relationships and continue building new ones.

Annual Meeting Project Team Co-Chair Diane Lau, lead trademark paralegal at Facebook, Inc. (US), encourages registrants to check out the array of networking options. “If you’re not making the time for these Business Development opportunities, then you’re going to lose out on a lot of great networking opportunities,” she said.

INTAconnect

Core to the 2021 Annual Meeting is INTAconnect, a powerful 24-hour online networking platform available to registrants.

Those who registered during Premium Access and Early Access (available until October 1) can access this virtual gathering space and book their meetings beginning October 18. This gives these registrants a head start in creating their profile, getting familiar with the system, and beginning to make appointments to be held when the Meeting opens.

“It’s a fantastic way to give a virtual handshake and meet people online,” said Francine Tan, managing director, FrancineTan Law Corporation (Singapore). “The audio and video are always very good. You get reminders that your meeting is coming up so you will not miss your meeting, and you also get a full 30 minutes with the person you are talking to with no distractions—it’s more focused.”

INTAconnect employs an artificial intelligence component, which makes matchmaking recommendations to registrants who have opted in to be listed on the platform. They can connect with each other based on their job, practice, location, and interests. It also allows them to skip over possible competitors.

Using a search feature, registrants can schedule a high-quality video meeting at any time or connect in a real-time text chat.

The system was a “fan favorite” at last year’s Meeting. More than 70 percent of users who participated in matched recommendations said they made good connections that they otherwise would not have.

Similarly, Mohammed Anas Quereshi, foreign relations officer at H K Acharya & Company (India), had a “great experience” at the 2020 event. “The networking platform was very convenient to get in touch with some wonderful individuals. INTAconnect helped us establish business relationships which would not have been possible otherwise,” he said. At the 2021 Annual Meeting Virtual+, he will be part of a six-person team attending from his firm.

“It’s a chance to say ‘Hi’ to someone you haven’t seen during lockdown or you usually grab a coffee with at the Annual Meeting,” said Peg Reardon, INTA’s director, Member Experience. “That doesn’t have to change in the virtual environment.”

Corporate Circle

INTA will also be introducing the Corporate Circle, where corporate registrants will be able to interact with their global in-house contemporaries during informal group discussions.

Five Corporate Circle sessions are on the agenda. The one-hour long sessions take place at a different time each day.

This will be yet another chance for registrants to expand their network and get to know peers across various industries and regions. Pre-registration is recommended, but not required.

Downtime Discussions

At any event, taking time out of the schedule to chat over a coffee or tea can be just as important as planned activities for making new contacts. INTA has made an effort to replicate this in-person scenario, with several virtual spaces set up to unwind or talk business in an informal environment.

For Cathy Yu, partner, Watson & Band (China), these types of interactions are key. Registered for the Annual Meeting, along with five colleagues from her firm, she suggested that the way to optimize the virtual Meeting “is to get connected with peers and get actively involved in various discussions and activities.”

One space, the INTA Café, will be open 24 hours a day throughout the Meeting to accommodate registrants from all time zones. There, registrants can drop in to chat with clients or potential business partners, or to convene with team members and plan for the day ahead.

In addition, this year, INTA will be introducing INTA Café Themed Hours. Looking for new recipes? INTA Café Themed Hour: Recipe Exchange on Wednesday, November 17, 9:00 am–10:00 am (EST), will serve up some ideas. Love to chat about binge-worthy TV shows and movies? Join the conversation at the INTA Café Themed Hour: These Are Must-See on Thursday, November 18, 1:00 pm–2:00 pm (EST).

Brand Marketplace

Also new on the virtual platform at this year’s Annual Meeting is the Brand Marketplace, which will offer registrants the opportunity to read through materials to familiarize themselves with the Annual Meeting’s sponsors and media partners.

Platinum sponsors will also have a Brand Hub, available in INTAconnect, that will allow them to meet and chat with registrants.

And, of course, after a sponsor’s products and services pique their interest, registrants can learn more by meeting a sponsor’s representatives in the INTA Café or scheduling a meeting via INTAconnect.

Social Networking Activities

Also on the virtual program are more than a dozen Social Networking sessions that fall under three themes: experiences, tastings, and wellness.

INTA is bringing back some of the most popular activities from last year: wine tasting and a Zumba workout. Plus new ones are on tap, including creating cheeseboards, olive oil tasting, and the art of painting. And for game-oriented social networking sessions, try the Big City Scavenger Hunt or Survey Says!

There is unlimited capacity for almost all the social activities, but pre-registration is required.

Plus, whether you are a cat, dog, or lizard person, INTA wants you to show off your pets in the Meeting’s Pet Corner: a designated space to enjoy one-hour networking accompanied by your furry or scaly friends. It is happening on Tuesday, November 16, 4:00 pm–5:00 pm (EST) and Thursday, November 18, 1:30 am–2:30 am (EST).

No Annual Meeting would be complete without receptions—even in a virtual world. The preliminary networking event, the Welcome Reception, gives attendees a chance to meet and greet at the tail end of the first official day of the Meeting, on Monday, November 15, at 4:30 pm (EST).

INTA will also host several regional receptions which serve as a channel to mingle with peers from specific regions. On Thursday, November 18, registrants are invited to join the Asia Reception, 3:00 am–5:00 am (EST); India Reception, 6:30 am–7:30 am (EST); and LATAM/Caribbean Reception, 3:00 pm–4:00 pm (EST).

As the event draws to a close, the Annual Meeting will be capped off with the Grand Finale, a virtual party with a DJ who will play recorded music for all to enjoy on Friday, November 19, 5:30 pm (EST). Even online, it’s time to put on your dancing shoes!

Footage used under license from Adobe Stock / CleverStock