International. HID Global has developed a new technology that allows users to check the originality of a product from a simple touch from the cell phone.
This is done through one service called Trusted Tag, which reliably authenticates products from their production, through the distribution stages to the point of sale, where the consumer can check their originality with a simple touch of an Android or iOS phone.
This solution was created with the intention of protecting brands against black market activities and will be presented IoT Latin America 2019, one of the most important technology fairs in the region to be held in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on September 17 and 18.
How does it work?
The Trusted Tag service combines HID's cloud authentication services with its NFC tags, which come in many presentations for a wide variety of product shapes and sizes that require brand verification.
NFC tags are inserted into each product during the manufacturing process and easily read with NFC-powered smartphones (both Android and iOS v11 and newer). The advanced cryptographic capabilities of embedded tags make it impossible to clone or copy them, while the extended security features of the cloud authentication service enable brand authentication that preserves privacy as well as consumer interaction in a closed and trusted environment.
"As a pioneer in brand protection, HID can quickly leverage the NFC (near field communication) readable features of phones to drive mass adoption and help the average consumer avoid being fooled by counterfeit products," said Mark Robinton, Director of Business Development and Strategic Innovation at HID Global. "Our solution goes beyond making the global supply chain reliable; it also opens up a secure channel for brands to interact directly with consumers as part of their loyalty strategy."
Global trend
According to the study "Counterfeiting and Piracy 2017", conducted by the International Trademark Association (INTA), it is estimated that the international trade in counterfeit and pirated products will reach 991 billion dollars by 2022.
This is how companies around the world have begun to adopt this technology to deal with this crime. One of the most resonant cases for example is that of the liquor company Old Kempton Distillery (OKD) in Tasmania, who use Trusted Tag services to protect their products in the global market.
The distillery's solution uses Trusted Tag services in the AusNFC web app that powers the front-end mobile experience on customers' phones.
"We wanted to protect the brand given that OKD is one of the most recognized whiskies in the world and the liquor industry one of the most sensitive to counterfeiting, but at the same time we wanted a solution that would allow us to relate safely to our customers after a sale, and we believe that this solution provides us with exactly this." said Robbie Gilligan, Business Manager and Ambassador for Old Kempton Distillery. A cryptographically secure HID NFC tag is embedded in the label of each liquor bottle, which is linked to HID's cloud authentication service. By touching the bottle with an iPhone or Android phone, the customer activates a secure communications channel that authenticates the provenance of their premium product, down to the actual bottle number.
Each tap generates a unique URL, preventing counterfeiters from copying, falsifying, or manipulating the URL for fake verification.
This technology opens up a powerful new avenue for Old Kempton Distillery to stay connected to customers through direct, hyper-personalized communications that help the distillery build brand loyalty in a closed environment that preserves privacy.
Another important case is that of Blue Bite in the United States, which launched an authentication package that uses the Trusted Tag service for the most important European brands, in partnership with the Italian company Temera. Likewise, that of the company Authentic or Not in Canada. Both work with HID to deliver a secure brand authentication experience to leading brands, using proprietary technology to bring intelligence to products and unlock real-world interaction with consumers.
According to INTA, brands generate about 40% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the United States, as in the countries of the European Union. In Latin America, brands account for 20% of GDP.
Visitors to IoT Latin America 2019 will be able to see first-hand the details of this technology and HID Global's portfolio of RFID Tags solutions at booth #26 of the fair.
