INTA 2022: the anticipation is high among the WebTMS team

INTA is back! The annual meeting of the International Trade Mark Association is always a highlight of the industry’s calendar, but this year is extra special as we reconnect following the COVID-enforced break.

WebTMS will be proudly exhibiting to the 6800 delegates at Booth 210, and looking forward to seeing all our friends, clients, and colleagues from around the world. We can’t wait to INTA-act with everyone again (groan)!

Ahead of the big show, we talked to three of the WebTMS team to find out what they’re expecting from this year’s event. From first-timer, Samantha, to INTA “veterans” Nick and Christinne, here is what they have to say about the event and their tips for INTA survival:

What are you looking forward to most about this year’s INTA?

Samantha: This is my first time going. When I worked in private practice, it was usually the senior associates/attorneys and partners that went, so I am excited about being able to go in general! I’m also looking forward to meeting my US colleagues in person, as well as catching up with contacts, new and old. I’m also excited to see Washington DC, making the most of the early morning jet lag and exploring the city, as well as a trip to one of the Smithsonian museums in the morning before we start prepping.

Nick: As international travel and group gatherings have been so restricted in the last couple of years, I’m just really looking forward to the ‘buzz’ of INTA and getting to reconnect with so many contacts in one place and having the opportunity to be sociable IRL and not just via a Teams video call!

Christinne: I’m really looking forward to seeing our clients for the first time in a couple of years.

What do you think are the main benefits of having an event on this scale?    

Samantha: It’s an easy way to get everyone together in a mutually convenient (or inconvenient, depending on the distance you have to travel) venue to enable an efficient way to hold as many meetings as possible. It’s also great to put names to faces, instead of emails. It gives a more personal feel.

Nick: Working for a service provider in the IP industry, a meeting on this scale makes a lot of sense from a logistical and practical perspective, it’s extremely convenient having 6000+ potential clients all in one place!

Christinne: As wonderful as the new video conferencing tools are, there’s really no substitute for meeting with people in person.  I think you get to know your client’s needs and wants better and of course, you get to know them personally, too.

What are your top tips for getting the most out of the event from a business perspective?

Samantha: Be as friendly as possible to the person next to you that you don’t know. It may be that that person is someone you could do business with, so strike up a conversation!

Nick: It’s a schoolboy error classic – DON’T FORGET YOUR BUSINESS CARDS! – with all the people you are going to meet, don’t be that person that doesn’t have a way for a new connection to easily remember you or contact you… it happens more than you think.

Christinne: Be prepared and be ready to adjust your plans.

Do you have any tips for keeping energy levels up during the event? 

Samantha: My plan is to get up to do some exercise in the morning, be it an online fitness video or a walk/cycle around the city. I’m preparing to run the London marathon, so I need to keep some level of training going. Then on to a good breakfast, including fruit and veg. I’m going to pack some good snacks for during the day. Then, when we’re out, I’m going to do my best to make sure I’m in bed at a decent time so that I can wake up fresh to go again the next day. If in doubt… Coffee!

Nick: I like to do some exercise in the morning to put me in a great mood for the rest of the day, and if you make that a run in the morning you can also see some other parts of the city so it’s a two for one. This year it might be some city bikes, watch this space.

Pack some convenient snacks in your rucksack or bag. With all the meetings you’ve arranged you might just find that you ‘forgot’ to grab some lunch and you’ll be super grateful for that cereal bar or banana you packed.

Buy lots of bottled water for your hotel room – I’ve been using this one for years and it’s a game changer, staying hydrated is essential with the long days and busy nights, it’s so easy to overlook this one but so easy to fix.

Christinne: This is actually not my tip, but one I got from another seasoned participant who goes to INTA.  She said she makes sure she schedules a nap during the day.  I thought that was such a great idea!

Which social events are “can’t miss” occasions?

Samantha: I hear Corsearch throw a great reception, but it will also be good to go to any client-hosted events to meet some members of staff who perhaps haven’t gone to the conference itself.

Nick: The main INTA opening reception will definitely be on my ‘to do’ list, there are also some companies/firms out there that put on some epic receptions; it’s worth asking around and getting the details to those!

Christinne: This is my first year as part of the TMAP Committee.  I’m really excited to meet everyone in person at the TMAP Committee meeting.

What will WebTMS have on offer at the event?

Samantha: Our famous, lovingly hand-tied, chocolates!

Nick: Come to our stand to find out! We’re at Booth 210.

Christinne: We’ll be showcasing all the latest features of WebTMS and there will definitely be some goodies for visitors to take home with them, too. I’m looking forward to seeing some of our clients there and having some time to chat.

…and finally, do you have a favourite memory from past INTA conferences?

Samantha: The famous, handtied, WebTMS chocolates, that the partners used to bring back for all the formalities people in the private practice law firm I used to work in.

Nick: Hong Kong was the most memorable INTA for me as 1) I’d never been to that part of the world so it really felt like an adventure just being there, 2) also I was very much into playing Poker at the time, so myself and a colleague took a ferry to nearby Macao one evening and went to their casinos, which are like a mini Las Vegas, and ended up bumping into to some famous poker players.

Christinne: I have to say the INTA in Barcelona was spectacular.  It was such a beautiful city.  I remember eating a fantastic lunch outside in one of the parks across from a beautiful church and thinking I could do this every day and never get tired of the view.