Coolside 1

Case Study

Coolside t/a Trtl + University of Strathclyde

Develop a platform that can proactively determine and address counterfeiting issues.

Examples of image modifications made by copycat sellers to disguise the use of copyright images

Coolside t/a Trtl

Coolside Limited T/A Trtl was founded in 2013 by Michael Corrigan and David Kellock shortly after graduating with degrees in Mechanical Engineering.Trtl designs and sells a range of innovative travel pillows, flight socks and packing solutions to take the stress out of travel. Over 1 million units of the original flagship pillow design have been sold to date.

What was the need?

The Challenge

Developing an online brand protection monitoring operation poses significant challenges for brands. Manually searching for counterfeit products or IP infringements across various platforms is highly time-intensive and inefficient, requiring ongoing, labour-intensive efforts. Many brands rely on third-party monitoring services, but these are often costly and come with a significant limitation: they lack the ability to accurately measure the specific impact of infringements on the brand.

This creates a secondary challenge—brands not only need a system capable of detecting infringements, but also one that can effectively track and measure the impact of these infringements. Understanding the scope and consequences of counterfeit activity is essential for shaping the right response strategies, yet this level of analysis is often absent in existing industry solutions. A custom-built system offers the potential to address this gap, allowing brands to detect infringements more effectively while also providing the tools to measure their impact and performance, ensuring more informed decision-making and stronger brand protection strategies.

What did we do?

The Solution

The primary aim of this project is to develop a system which can effectively identify and target intellectual property infringements online. The set of tools automatically retrieves and filters listing, user, and post information from a variety of online marketplaces and social media platforms assessing the likelihood that listings are infringements using modern machine learning and deep learning methodologies. As a result of the knowledge acquired in researching and exploring the brand protection space the associate has also led the implementation of several traditional brand protection workflows; engaging contractors, managing offline litigation, and assisting in management of Coolside’s intellectual property portfolio.

What changed?

The Impacts and Benefits

Impacts for the Company

The Associate initially took full responsibility for most aspects of the company’s brand protection efforts, alongside developing the machine learning tools capable of detection allowing Trtl to develop both the technical and operational capabilities required. These early initiatives laid the foundation for a more comprehensive brand protection operation.

By introducing advanced detection technologies, The Associate significantly boosted the company's ability to identify and report online IP infringements, increasing detection rates to levels over and above that provided by existing third-party suppliers. The system now flags hundreds of infringements per month across various platforms and regions allowing us to act faster and more effectively than before.

The Associate's relationships with key marketplaces such as Facebook, TikTok, Alibaba, and Amazon were crucial in initially improving takedown success rates and streamlining reporting processes. These connections also expanded the company’s influence within the industry, enabling him to offer feedback on how platforms can better assist with IP protection. This approach to brand protection has since been key to our success as the internal function has expanded.

Impacts for the Academic Team

Several master's projects have been conducted in conjunction with the broader project, offering students valuable industry exposure. These collaborations have not only provided students with practical, real-world experience in the fields of brand protection, machine learning, and data analytics but have also benefited the project by leveraging academic insights and fresh perspectives to solve complex challenges.

In addition to these collaborations, the project aims to contribute to academic literature through the development of a study focused on the measurement and evaluation of online brand impersonation. Using the custom detection tools developed during the project, this study will provide a robust methodology for assessing the impact of counterfeit and impersonation activities across digital platforms. Currently under development, this research is expected to advance academic understanding in this field and serve as a reference for both scholars and industry professionals working to combat online brand infringement.

Impacts for the KTP Associate

The Associate's professional development has been marked by a blend of technical expertise and business acumen, applicable across industries. Academically, the pursuit of an MPhil in machine learning and AI demonstrates advanced research skills. Participation in the Advanced Machine Learning Summer School (ACDL2024), attended by experts from leading companies like Google and Microsoft, further deepened these technical skills.

The Associate's business skills were honed through leadership training at Ashorne Hill, signifying readiness for higher responsibilities, and attendance at brand protection conferences, where networking with key industry figures strengthened operational capabilities. Completing the KTN Innovation Strategy Course added a strategic dimension, equipping the Associate with tools to manage innovation and align technological developments with business goals.

This combination of academic achievements and leadership experience positions the Associate to effectively contribute to the organization’s diverse business needs, including enhancing brand protection and driving innovation.

The People

Meet the Team

Michael Gillespie

KTP Associate

Dr Marc Roper

Knowledge Base Supervisor

Stuart McVicar

Company Supervisor