ACID is a membership trade organisation, set up as a round table action group in 1996, by designers for designers. ACID is now a hard-hitting ‘not for profit’ trade organisation created to combat the growing threats of plagiarism in the design and creative industries. By helping its members to understand and protect their rights, ACID is intent on stamping out intellectual property rights abuse.
ACID provides an accessible, practical framework for those who believe that their IP rights have been infringed. By maintaining a high profile at exhibitions and trade shows, reinforced by the powerful ACID brand of protection, the organisation also functions as a strong deterrent, on-the-spot advice centre and mediation service. ACID’s objectives are:
- To change the current culture that it is OK to steal ideas and free ride on another persons design equity.
- To create a safer trading environment in order for creative industries to flourish.
via education, design protection, prevention and deterrence underpinned by support, both at grass roots and through expert intellectual property legal advisors, IP legal and membership hotlines. The ACID brand has become a powerful voice within the design community, a voice the organisation intends to be heard across boardrooms where directors would be appalled if anyone accused them of theft of their colleague’s watch or wallet but still think it is acceptable to steal ideas and products.