Companies who have been victimised by counterfeiting usually go for legal remedies through the courts against counterfeiters. But Angry Birds creator Rovio Entertainment plans the opposite.

Finland-based Rovio Entertainment said will collaborate with counterfeiters in China by recruiting them to be partners and enabling them to advertise free on the Angry Birds app.

The move was driven by the belief that court cases against counterfeiters are often expensive and ineffective. Rovio’s GM for China, Paul Chen, said while Rovio is concerned about copyright infringement in China, it is willing to work with counterfeiters.

While some lawyers consider it an untraditional approach, some think it could be a successful move.

Xiang Wang, who works as an intellectual property lawyer at Orrick said: “You can win on paper, but paper means nothing. When you go to enforce it, local companies pay the judges, they pay the local government officials, so enforcement will take years.”

Rovio’s CEO Peter Vesterbacka, who saw enormous amount of fake Angry Birds products during his visit in China last spring, said the knockoffs indicate high demand for Angry Birds.

Analysts say that Rovio’s plan to open around 100 stores by next year, commencing its first store in Shanghai next month, is one way to knock out the knockoffs. The company will also launch several themed activity parks in China.

China, where it recorded 140 million downloads, is Angry Birds second largest market after the US.

GB