PR: Taking a bite out of fake products on YouTube

A new YouTube series hosted by McGruff the Crime Dog aims at shifting the buying behaviours of tweens and teens away from fake products.

Go For Real TV moves McGruff—a long-time staple of television advertising—onto the world of online streaming where young people tune in for entertainment and education.

The series transports viewers to McGruff's top-secret detective lab and features guests from various industries to teach young people the dangers counterfeit products.

Through Go For Real TV teens and tweens can spot fakes and become dupe detectives with companion online games and other educational material. New episodes will be released monthly.

"Its important for McGruff to reach kids in new and creative ways," said Paul DelPonte, Executive Director of the National Crime Prevention Council. "Since most fakes are sold online that's where McGruff needs to be to give kids the life skills they need to stay safe. Kids are smart and don't want to be duped."

The series empowers this audience to take the power back from criminals by making smart buying decisions. Fake shoes, luxury items, skin care products and more will be highlighted and exposed. The sale of counterfeit products is a $2 trillion criminal enterprise that affects every industry and causes fires, skin rashes, and even death, especially with the sale of fake pills containing fentanyl.

"The USPTO is working to change the narrative and educating consumers about the dangers and consequences of purchasing counterfeit goods," said Kathi Vidal, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO. "Education on the dangers of counterfeit goods must start early and that's why we've partnered with NCPC and McGruff the Crime Dog® on the Go For Real campaign."

McGruff is also on a nation-wide tour that includes school visits and was recently featured on a Daytona International Speedway on the car driven by Joey Gase to help call attention to the dangers of fake auto parts.

The Go For Real campaign is a collaboration between NCPC and the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). As part of the multi-year effort, McGruff's public service announcement will also continue to air on television and radio.

To learn more about the campaign, visit www.ncpc.org/goforreal and stay on McGruff's tail on social media @McGruffatNCPC.

About the National Crime Prevention Council

The nonprofit National Crime Prevention Council is home to McGruff the Crime Dog® and has helped generations of Americans Take A Bite Out Of Crime®. Follow NCPC on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram @McGruffatNCPC.

About the USPTO

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is the federal agency for granting U.S. patents and registering trademarks. In doing this, the USPTO fulfills the mandate of Article I, Section 8, Clause 8, of the Constitution that the legislative branch "promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries." The USPTO registers trademarks based on the commerce clause of the Constitution (Article I, Section 8, Clause 3). Under this system of protection, American industry has flourished. New products have been invented, new uses for old ones discovered, and employment opportunities created for millions of Americans. The strength and vitality of the U.S. economy depends directly on effective mechanisms that protect new ideas and investments in innovation and creativity. The continued demand for patents and trademarks underscores the ingenuity of American inventors and entrepreneurs. The USPTO is at the cutting edge of the nation's technological progress and achievement.