Exclusive Italian sportscar maker Ferrari is tackling an increasing number of counterfeit merchandise, issuing more "cease and desist" orders and taking more people to court than it has in the 62-year history of the company.
Ferrari spokeswoman Valeria Costa would not disclose the exact number of successful court orders or cases but told the Carsales Network that tracking fake merchandise was a now full time job for the company's legal department.
"Our legal office is constantly taking action," she told the Carsales Network ahead of a preview drive of the new Ferrari FF supercar in Italy overnight. "It is a concern, we have a constant eye on fake products and fake ideas."
Most popular among the fake merchandise is Ferrari-labeled clothing, caps and toys – some of which are so good they are hard to distinguish from the real deal.
Other items have less of an eye for detail. One counterfeit model car was so badly done it named rival F1 driver Lewis Hamilton as the pilot. In Malaysia, Ferrari has recently taken action over fake road cars – Toyota MR2s dressed up as Ferrari Spyders.
Ferrari Australia spokesman Edward Rowe says the company reports "two to three" serious breaches of copyright and/or counterfeit products each month. "We send the information to Italy and it is dealt with from their end," he said.
Ferrari does not disclose how much of its profit comes from the sale of official merchandise (compared to the sale of its sportscars) but it is widely accepted that branded apparel, accessories and toys are responsible for up to half of the company's earnings.
Ferrari has more than 3000 items for sale through its 40 stores globally and online.
Although men are by far the biggest buyers of Ferrari merchandise (ahead of children, and then women) Ferrari-branded items cover everything from the cradle to the grave.
At the Ferrari store in Maranello yesterday, there were Ferrari-branded baby prams (400 Euros), and ash trays the size of dinner plates (30 Euros). There was even a carbon fibre Trivial Pursuit box (650 Euros).
According to its latest financial figures, Ferrari posted a profit of 302 million Euros in 2010 from a turnover of 1.9 billion Euros. In the process it sold 6500 cars – a 5 per cent increase compared with 2009 and its second best result on record after 2008 when more than 7000 cars were sold just as the Global Financial Crisis hit at year's end.
There is no Ferrari store in Australia as yet but the items can be ordered through the local dealerships. The 41st Ferrari store, in Barcelona, is due to open next month.
Most of the crooked gear is sold at the markets or through other retailers who on-sell the items through a third party supplier.
Among the best spotters of fake Ferrari merchandise are the customers themselves. "We do receive tip-offs from our customers," says Costa.
Ferrari says although the reported number of fake items is high, it has the situation under control. "We're not over-stressed about it," says Costa. "It is one of the many tasks of out legal office but the way we are treating it makes us sleep tight."
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