By Sajag Karki

Nike, Reebok, Ray Ban, Gucci, Armani - you name it and there are replicas of every brand imaginable. There are many such replicas of brands available which people tend to purchase knowingly or unknowingly as the original one. One may think what difference would it make and who could identify the real one? Well, one might be right for all of them look the same at a glance. Also, the replicas give huge respite to those consumers who cannot afford the real offering of the brand. Hence, there is a huge market for this ranging from high quality replicas to the dirt-cheap ones. However, fake is fake and if one takes a closer look at it, one can easily identify and feel the difference. The fake ones have blurred logos, bad packaging, inferior materials which could even harm the user. People who are loyal to their brands and who know the essence of brand always buy the original products no matter how high the cost may be. It is not just about sporting a fake logo in the product, for them it’s about their association with the brand which gives them their identity. In western countries like in the US there are tougher laws that protect from replicating branded products. Intellectual property like movies and any other creative work also have copyrights. 

It’s no big secret that copies of brands are easily available in the market with varying degree of quality. Every now and then we hear about logos being copied from well known companies. This is a shame to the business and an insult to the creativity of the designer. Business law states that a registered trademark cannot be used by others especially if it is of a well-known one because of its familiarity. Even the prevailing Nepali law states that the same name cannot be used by two different companies. Similarly, similar names that could confuse a customer, too, should be avoided. A logo, say of McDonalds, cannot be copied as it is a well known icon. You can get a Ray Ban for as cheap as anything from a roadside vendor while the original product bought from its branded showroom costs ten times more. There is undoubtedly a significant market for consumers of such fake products, thanks to the “Made in China” brand which mass-produces copies of almost all big brands. As there are no strict rules followed by the concerned authorities regarding patent rights, nobody seems to care about it and people are happy with the replicas. “Do as Romans do in Rome” seems to have become the norm. 

Looking at the practical side of things, it wouldn’t have been possible for consumers of many developing countries to purchase branded products if it weren’t for the much affordable replicas. Hence, with high quality replicas people are able to quench their thirst for their favourite brands which would have otherwise not been feasible. Thousands of people use these products every day, thanks to the leverage of the original brands that has made it possible. 

The Article is based on research and author’s practical experience as a marketing and advertising professional. He can be reached at sajag_karki@hotmail.com.