McGruff® and Scruff® recruit a new generation to Take A Bite Out of Crime®

WASHINGTON, Aug. 11, 2022—McGruff the Crime Dog® and his nephew, Scruff®, make their 3D debut in a new public service announcement aimed at taking a bite out of the sale of dangerous fake products.

The National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) and the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) have joined forces on the Go For Real campaign, including the release of a new public service announcement (PSA). This new PSA will be seen by millions in both English and Spanish on television, social media, and other creative ways.

“Parents across the U.S. grew up with the iconic Crime Dog and they want McGruff to help keep their kids safe,” said Paul DelPonte, Executive Director of NCPC. “This new public service announcement delivers an important message alerting people of all ages about the hazards caused by the widespread prevalence of fake products.”

A dupe “McGruff” makes an appearance in the PSA and attempts to encourage a group of teens and tweens to buy cheap counterfeit goods. Scruff spots and exposes the imposter crime dog while the genuine McGruff outlines the dangers inherent in fake products.

“The sale of fake products is a vast global criminal enterprise,” said Kathi Vidal, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO. “The USPTO is excited to team with this modernized McGruff to take a bite out this 21st century crime that puts the health and safety of millions at risks, jeopardizes American businesses and the millions of workers they employ, and threatens American competitiveness worldwide. Protecting legitimate brands is vital to ensuring a safe and stable economy – and we encourage all consumers to Go For Real.”

According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), more than $9 million worth of IP-infringing products are seized daily. While estimates vary on how much of the global trade is in counterfeits and the number of dupes available in both physical and online markets, most experts agree that:

Counterfeits account for 3.3% to as much as 7.5% of global trade.

Sales of counterfeits account for hundreds of billions of dollars annually, and will soon, if not already, cross the $1 trillion mark a year.

Those numbers just keep mounting as a result of the exponential growth of global e-commerce. The FY 2021 CBP Trade and Travel Report emphasized the need for an e-commerce strategy, to protect Americans from counterfeits and unsafe imports.

The Go For Real campaign and the accompanying PSA are intended to reach a new generation of Americans and educate them on how to become dupe detectives. The PSA was filmed at the Jim Henson Studios in Los Angeles, Calif. This effort accompanies a higher profile for McGruff, who recently was featured in cameo performances in Disney’s feature film “Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers”, and the television show “Family Guy.”

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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® through public education campaigns and advocating for public policies to make the U.S. safer. Follow NCPC on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram.

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.

Contact:

Tatiana Peralta

tperalta@ncpc.org

202-919-5544