Getting a good deal on a new purse is always a good thing. However, what if things aren't what they seem?
Students at Miami University have paired up with the International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition to address this problem, promoting awareness of counterfeit items with a movement called Get Real.
The IACC College Outreach Campaign handbook states that the Get Real program's purpose is to educate consumers by letting them know that they are the victims of purchasing counterfeit items. It also said that Get Real hopes that their awareness will help cut the demand of counterfeit items.
According to the IACC handbook, 59 percent of consumers admit to purchasing fake luxury items and 90 percent feel no guilt about doing so.
Get Real member sophomore Elizabeth King said the group hopes that its campaign will make students more aware of statistics such as these, as well as make them more responsible consumers.
King said one of the group's biggest concerns was how to target Miami students. She said they chose to use fashion as a way to catch the interest of undergraduate females on campus, with the hope that male students will participate as well.
"Fashion is a big aspect of Miami's campus," King said. "There is a lot more to it than just fake purses and sunglasses, but our focus is on fashion."
According to King, the group is planning a variety of different events to raise awareness during the week of April 7, with flyers, banners and booths around campus all week.
Senior Teresa Boucas, executive member of the group, said a Facebook.com group will also be set up during the week of March 3 to promote early awareness of the campaign. There is also a blog (rockitreal.blogspot.com), which will provide statistics and other information about the group's events, as well as the national campaign.
Boucas said the booths will be set up at high-traffic areas throughout the week, including in front of the Shriver Center, the seal, and King Library. She also said that the students working to promote the campaign will work in shifts at the booths to ensure that they stay open all day.
Boucas said there will be activities where students will be asked to tell the difference between real and fake fashion items, as well as an opportunity to sign a petition to stop counterfeiting in all markets-not just fashion.
According to the IACC College Outreach Campaign handbook, only around 4 percent of fakes fall into the luxury category. Other industries targeted by counterfeiting include the automobile, food, software and pharmaceutical industries.
The weeklong event will culminate Thursday, April 10 with a fashion show and raffle at Uptown Park. The band formerly known as Marking Twain will perform.
According to Boucas, students who stop by the booths to answer the 'spot the fake' questions will automatically be entered in the raffle. They must be at the fashion show to win the grand prize-a real Marc Jacobs bag.
Boucas said the central goal of Get Real is to help students realize the impact of their decision when they purchase counterfeit items.
She also said the group really wants to stress to people how bad it is to buy counterfeit items.
"When people buy a counterfeit item, all of the money goes directly into someone's pocket," Boucas said. "It is not taxable, which means that the money cannot be used for healthcare or education like real items that are taxed."
The group wants students to realize that though fashion is the focus, it is not the only aspect of counterfeiting.
Boucas said that her most startling revelation was that counterfeiting affects other industries, such as medicine, airplanes and vehicle parts.
California State University, New York University, the University of Miami and the Ohio State University are also participating in the IACC College Outreach Campaign.
According to the IACC Web site, other schools have made YouTube videos, signed petitions against counterfeits and created Facebook.com groups to help raise awareness.
However, King believes the fashion show is unique to Miami University.
The students have been working since September on their campaign and are financially sponsored by IACC, Rolex and Paul Werth Associates, a public relations firm based out of Columbus.
According to King, the group was given $5,000 by its sponsors to raise awareness.
"(The campaign) is not necessarily to stop people from buying fake things, but to get them to think further about their actions," Boucas said.
John Keenan, a sophomore at Miami believes that counterfeiting is a big problem, but that there is not a lot of awareness about it.
"I think it sounds like a good program and a good way to make people more knowledgeable," he said. "I might stop by the booths if I see them around campus, but I probably won't go to the fashion show because I am not who the group seems to be targeting."
