Campaign for Creativity

Nominated as a fake NGO brilliantly disguising corporate demands as grassroots concerns

Shrewd in its claim to represent artists, musicians, designers, engineers and software developers the ‘Campaign for Creativity’ (C4C), was set up to lobby Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to vote for US-style software patents, which will grant large corporations stronger intellectual proprerty rights over software. Behind its grassroots mask lies a campaign orchestrated by Simon Gentry of London based public affairs firm Campbell Gentry, supported by software giants like Microsoft and SAP. Gentry’s pedigree as a successful agent for corporate lobby’s is top quality. Previous associations include involvement in the shameful industry campaign for patents on life on behalf of SmithKline Beecham.

Deception and innovation should guarantee the Campaign for Creativity a top place in this year’s ‘Worst EU Lobbying’ Award. Tactics have included giving out free ice creams to MEPs on a hot afternoon and sailing around the canals of Strasbourg in a motorised yacht like a modern pirate. Vote now to demask this fake NGO.

Link to more information

• Watchdogs criticize misleading software patents lobby campaign, call for transparency, Corporate Europe Observatory & LobbyControl joint press release, 28 June 2005

Voters said about this nominee:

Because they are the best in lobbying the EU for a bad world!

Inmtellectual rights properties deterioriate to instruments of expropriation.

Misuse of NGOs reputation.

For being so creative at faking it !

The ruthless and shameless abuse of public confidence is an undermining factor for what is left of our democratic structures. Lobbying must be thouroughly regulated if we want that people regain confidence in our institutions.

Because of their shameful tactics. Don't pretend to be what you aren't.

pro-patent

It's a fake NGO.

lies lies lies...

It is a Microsoft/SAP pro-patent lobbying entity. I think it's a fake ngo.

using the image of what has been considered as among the most socially caring parts of civil society in politics (NGOs) for particular economic interests really is a great(!) strategy

It's amazing the disinformation they spread, supposing that software patents promote innovation. Before software patents came along, the progress and advancement in the computer and software industry was breathtaking, extremely fast. Since software patents were introduced, the advancement of the IT industry and of software has slowed to a snails pace, and it's getting worse. This organisation deserves the vote because they are blind to the damage they are causing in the IT world, but maybe not blind to the fact that those countries not burdened by software patents are advancing faster than those that "protect interlectual property".

Software breveting

I want to strongly protest against their methods.

With my regards to Steve Ballmer

For software creativity

For a lack of honesty in their campaign and for their efforts to undermine consumer rights, privacy rights and civil rights.

George Orwell is turning over in his grave they're all sort of frightening, but for me being into IT and the whole software patent thing, the work of C4C was most visible...