Q: Is the Verify Brand technology/system available now?
Q: How does the Verify Brand technology work?
Q: How is the Verify Brand system different from supply chain management or track-and-trace?
Q: Can I implement the system in a very simple and low cost fashion?
Q: Can the system work with RFID tags and scanning systems?
Q: Approximately how long does it take to implement the system?
Q: Can I use my existing label and packaging suppliers?
Q: Can my existing label be used and can I add additional security features?
Q: How will the consumer know that they should verify the product and how?
Q: Is the Verify Brand technology/system available now?
A: Yes, the Verify Brand System is available now and is deployed in production and label converting environments. Verify Brand brings to its customers decades of experience in secure mass serialization and more than one billion mass-serialized product labels for several of the most recognizable brand owners in the software and electronics industries. Verify Brand combines this experience with unique software and services to deliver an end-to-end authentication system, requiring minimal disruption to a customer's existing production and distribution systems and processes.
Q: How does the Verify Brand technology work?
A: The technology is based on "mass serialization" and an explosion of possibilities inside a large alpha-numeric 'code'. Simply stated, a randomly generated and unique code is applied to a product label, package, box, crate, and/or pallet. The codes are then kept on a central and secure Internet server, located in the Verify Brand Data Center or the customer's preferred location, to be verified for authenticity at a later time. Since our preferred code is random and unique, it is not possible for someone to correctly guess a code. And, if real codes are stolen from packages and reproduced on counterfeit product, our real-time authentication activity tracking will identify false authentication events and report these to the manufacturer in real time for an appropriate system-driven response.
Q: How experienced is Verify Brand in creating mass serialization to protect products from counterfeiting and diversion?
A: We believe that no company can match our experience in or comprehensive approach to secure mass serialization. We have already produced more than one billion securely coded labels to protect product in the electronics and software industries. We have achieved this using Six Sigma Quality Systems and our patent pending Secure Code Control® process has produced zero duplicate or lost coded labels.
Q: How is the Verify Brand system different from supply chain management or track-and-trace?
A: Product security is not the same as supply chain track-and-trace. That is not to say that the two cannot co-exist. Unlike track-and-trace products however, the Verify Brand System directly addresses product authentication at any point in the supply chain, including business customers and consumers. Track-and-trace systems are normally focused on providing best practices execution and efficiency within the supply chain with essentially no concerns for product authenticity and therefore do not necessarily verify that the products flowing through the supply chain are authentic or provide a product security capability.
The Verify Brand System can be integrated with ERP, WMS and other organic or third-party supply chain or internal distribution management systems to facilitate product authentication.
Q: Can I implement the system in a very simple and low cost fashion?
A: Yes, Verify Brand offers multiple service levels and corresponding pricing for deployment and use. A simple hosted system using pre-serialized product labels may cost very little or nothing to deploy and pennies or fractions of a penny per product to support. The more features, functions and complex the deployment, the higher the cost, but likely the higher the amount of benefit that will accrue.
Q: Can the system work with RFID tags and scanning systems?
A: Absolutely. RFID tags are simply another vehicle in which Verify Brand generated and secure codes and other information can reside. Similar to bar codes, secure authentication codes are imbedded within the RFID tag and scanned at the appropriate locations. Product RFID tags are scanned and sent to the Verify Brand secure Web server for authentication, in the same way as with a bar code scan. In fact, the Verify Brand system provides an excellent on-ramp to RFID adoption through the initial implementation of bar code technology.
Q: Is the system able to work with the EPCglobal or GS1 standard, including the EPCIS data management architecture?
A: Verify Brand is generating EPCglobal and GS1 SGTIN codes and the Verify Brand data management architecture mirrors that of the EPCIS platform. This allows any Verify Brand customer, initially deploying our software applications on our data management platform, to later seamlessly migrate to the EPCIS platform while retaining use of our software applications for secure serialization, product authentication, tracking and reporting.
Q: Approximately how long does it take to implement the system?
A: This will depend on the extent to which the system is deployed, i.e. how and where codes are printed and by what entity, how many locations, the extent to which authentication will occur, etc. The system may be deployed in less than 60 days in a simple serialization and authentication version. Verify Brand works closely with its customers to design a plan that will smooth implementation and like the system itself, minimize disruption to customer and supplier operations.
Q: Can I use my existing label and packaging suppliers?
A: Yes, Verify Brand will partner with your current label supplier to integrate our secure serialization system so that your process for label supply is not disrupted, only enhanced.
Q: Can my existing label be used and can I add additional security features?
A: Yes, your existing label may be used, as long as there is sufficient room on the label to add the Secure Code in the preferable format and any additional information that is required to facilitate authentication and tracking. If there is not sufficient room, an additional label can easily be developed. Any label used initially or at a later time can be revised to include additional or new security features.
Q: How will the consumer know that they should verify the product and how?
A: The Verify Brand System should be a key part of the company's brand protection and product security strategy. Therefore, the company should communicate with its end customers that it is making every effort to ensure that its customer's purchase is an authentic and safe product. The Verify Brand System provides an opportunity for brand owners to enhance brand loyalty by communicating to its end customers that it is focused on ensuring their safety. Since our authentication system is Web-based, it provides an additional positive and valuable interface with the customer and can be used to promote the product and enable a loyalty program.
Q: How does the product information become associated with the unique product authentication code and can the system include product information?
A: Product information can be obtained through your normal label and product packaging ordering process, or otherwise as necessary. Normal product and distribution information is critical to reporting on the authentication process, identifying and locating sources of counterfeit or diverted product and in the event of product recalls.
