The Challenge
Starting in 2004, Microsoft has been working with the Vietnamese Government to increase awareness of software piracy and its consequences in Vietnam in the effort to lower significantly the software piracy rate – the highest in the world at 92 % (according to the annual IDC study commissioned by the Business Software Alliance).
The Solution
In a bid to leverage the government’s enforcement activities, Pioneer conducted a timely and effective media relations campaign and, at the same time successfully garnered support from authorities, policymakers, and ordinary citizens.
The Result
According to IDC’s latest global piracy report, the software piracy rate in Vietnam last year dropped to 85 percent and the country is no longer included on the list of countries with the highest rates of software piracy. In addition, legal strides have also taken place, including the enforcement of Intellectual Property Law in July 2006 and the advancement of software-copyright protections in 2007, and the recent instrumental circulars enabling the judicial system to subject software pirates to criminal charges. Pioneer has effectively leveraged media coverage on numerous inspections conducted by software copyright enforcement authorities over the past four years.
Heeding the serious and determined approach of the Vietnamese Government, large corporations and government offices officially purchased copyrighted software from Microsoft in May 2007.
Services Provided
- Government relations
- Coalition building
- Issue management
- Stakeholder engagement
- Media relations
