Shortlist unveiled: WTR Industry Awards 2024

WTR is pleased to reveal the shortlist for the 2024 WTR Industry Awards. 

The WTR Industry Awards, which have been held annually since 2007, recognise the vitally important work carried out by in-house trademark professionals and identify those teams and individuals that are performing their functions to the highest possible standards.

This year’s nominees include the trademark teams at Apple, Canon, Ford Motor Company, Jack Daniel’s, Middle-earth Enterprises, Nintendo, PUMA and Tencent.

Full shortlist

North America Team of the Year

• AllTech
• Capital One
• Caterpillar Inc
• Google
• Netflix

Latin America Team of the Year

• adidas
• Bloomin’ Brands Inc
• Grupo AlEn
• Mercado Libre
• PepsiCo

Asia-Pacific Team of the Year

• Cervezas San Miguel
• Coupang Inc
• Lego Group
• Tencent
• UPL Limited

Europe, Middle East and Africa Team of the Year

• Centrica
• IKEA (Inter IKEA Systems BV)
• MTN Group
• Philip Morris International
• PUMA

Food & Beverage Team of the Year

• Jack Daniel’s
• Mars, Incorporated
• Mondelēz International Inc
• The Coca-Cola Company
• Yili Group

Online Platforms & Software Team of the Year

• Amazon.com Inc
• ByteDance Ltd
• Meta
• Playtika
• Reddit

Not-For-Profit & Education Team of the Year

• American Red Cross
• American Retirement Association
• Brand Action
• Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry
• Rotary International

Pharma & Healthcare Team of the Year

• Abbott Laboratories
• GSK
• Johnson & Johnson
• Novartis
• Sanofi

Sports & Live Events Team of the Year 

• Board of Control for Cricket in India
• Callaway Golf Company
• Endeavor Group Holdings Inc
• Liverpool Football Club
• Major League Baseball

Technology & Consumer Electronics Team of the Year

• Apple Inc
• ATMUS Filtration Technologies
• Canon Inc
• Devialet
• Nintendo Co Ltd

Household & Consumer Goods Team of the Year

• Johnson Controls International
• Mattel Inc
• Philips Intellectual Property & Standards
• Polaroid Corporation
• The Procter & Gamble Company

Automotive & Vehicles Team of the Year

• Audi AG
• Ford Motor Company
• Giant Manufacturing Co
• Harley-Davidson Inc
• Subaru Corporation

Telecoms & IT Services Team of the Year

• Deutsche Telekom AG
• Microsoft Corporation
• Salesforce Inc
• Verizon Communications Inc
• Workday Inc

Retail & Restaurants Team of the Year

• Aldi
• Starbucks Corporation 
• Target Corporation
• Walmart Inc
• Yum! Brands

Financial & Professional Services Team of the Year

• Mastercard Inc
• MetLife
• PayPal
• TD Bank
• Worldpay

Fashion & Apparel Team of the Year 

• Asics
• Diesel
• Fanatics Inc
• New Balance Athletics Inc
• Nike Inc

Cosmetics & Luxury Goods Team of the Year

• Chanel
• Hermès International SA
• Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton
• Moncler
• Richemont

Hospitality & Travel Team of the Year

• Airbnb Inc
• Air France-KLM
• Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos International
• Marriott International Inc
• Tao Group

Entertainment & Media Team of the Year

• BBC
• Middle-earth Enterprises
• NBCUniversal Media
• Spin Master Corp
• The Walt Disney Company

In-house Leader of the Year 

• Ambalika Banerjjee, UPL Limited
• Patrick Flaherty, Verizon Communications 
• Michael Moore, Mattel Inc
• Kimiya Shams, Devialet
• Sebastien Vitali, Johnson Controls International

Lifetime Achievement Award

David S Gooder.

The winner of each award will be announced at an exclusive private reception in Atlanta in May. However, as is tradition, one award winner is announced in advance of the ceremony.

The recipient of this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award is David S Gooder.

David is the commissioner for trademarks at the USPTO, where he serves as the primary agency official for trademarks and is responsible for all aspects of the trademarks organisation, including policy, petitions, operations, register protection and administration relating to trademark examination, registration and maintenance.

Before joining the USPTO in 2020, David worked for more than 30 years on IP and brand-protection challenges facing global companies – including as the founding managing director and chief trademark counsel at Jack Daniel’s Properties. In that role, David directed the company’s global IP work, including trademark portfolio, rights clearance, brand protection, licensing and entertainment deals for the brands. Before Jack Daniel’s, David practiced trademark, copyright, and entertainment law in Los Angeles and San Diego. He has also been active at INTA, serving as an officer and, for two terms, on the board of directors.

The remaining WTR Industry Awards winners will be announced in Atlanta. 

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• Source: https://www.worldtrademarkreview.com/article/shortlist-unveiled-wtr-industry-awards-2024