Is a pirate the right image?

Advertisement for the Richmond Night Market, SkyTrain carriage, Vancouver, BC

Around the Vancouver area there are a few night markets. The best known, and longest running, one can be found in Richmond. It has been in operation since 2000, and according to the market's website is the largest night market in North America.

At the Richmond Night Market you can find a wide range of food and merchandise. And there is lies the thorny issue. The night market has become known as a place to find counterfeit goods.

So is pirate duck really the right image for a market known as a good place to find counterfeit goods? Is piracy of branded goods a serious issue, or are pirates just good clean fun?

While the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise would have us believe the later, any business that has suffered at the hands of "pirates" knocking off their patents, trademarks or copyrighted products would likely argue the point.

Losing sales, or potentially the future of your company, to sellers offering pirated goods would be a concern for any CEO. The most ironic instance I know of is a Chinese firm Ninebot which sold knockoffs of Segway scooters. Segway accused Ninebot of patent infringement. Ninebot did so well selling these knockoffs that is made enough money to buy Segway. The deal was announced in April 2015.