Gone are the days when most people were particular about buying only original products. Today, younger folks, specifically Gen Z, are actually embracing knockoffs.
Growth marketing expert Jennifer Baker refers to this trend as “dupe culture,” in which people even flaunt counterfeit clothes.
“Previous generations may have shopped for knockoffs on the sly, but Gen Z has not only normalized buying knockoffs or generic products but has grown the #dupe movement into one of the most searched terms on social media,” Baker said in a 2024 interview with The Guardian.
The Guardian also reported that nearly one-third of adults in the United States “intentionally bought” a rip-off of a luxury product, while 11% of consumers in the UK admitted to buying “one dupe product at least once every few months.”
So, why do people resort to counterfeit products? Affordability is a common reason, but according to Investopedia, it’s also due to a desire to boost self-esteem.
“Whether it's basketball shoes or a polo, a luxury good can go a long way toward increasing self-esteem for some people, providing a sense of belonging and higher status,” an excerpt from the article reads.
But what does this mean for the brands? Can counterfeit products change public perception of them for the worse? Sophie Hardie of influencer marketing firm the Goat Agency says companies don’t need to worry because “it’s all so much in the open.”
“Instead of fighting dupes, high-end brands should use the dupe to light-heartedly engage with popular culture. They should engage with it directly – and authentically – to bring new people in and show a confidence in the power of their brand,” Hardie said in the same interview with The Guardian.
Researcher, data journalist, and brand strategist Ellyn Briggs shared a similar sentiment. According to her, the existence of knockoffs is a “consumer stamp of approval.”
“Companies should feel empowered to lean into (it) – especially considering a wide majority of US adults view duping as a minor problem, if one at all,” she said.
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