Ridiculous knock-off brands spotted in public

Every company hopes to be recognized. The biggest global brands like Coca-Cola, Nike, and Apple have built much of their success on strong brand identities.

Smaller businesses trying to gain similar recognition sometimes find it easier to copy. While building a unique brand to compete with the industry leaders is one way, it often feels simpler to follow their example.

You’re a long way from the swamp

It’s unclear whether this statue was originally something else awkwardly reshaped to vaguely look like Shrek, or if it was a genuine attempt at a realistic Shrek.

Either way, this statue misses the mark completely. Not only does it fail to resemble Shrek, but it’s also pure nightmare fuel for anyone who sees it—especially at night.

Do they roll back prices, too?

This off-brand grocery store goes for a more subtle branding style. Rather than copying Walmart’s logo outright, it suggests the big-box retailer feel without being too obvious.

They deserve some credit for making their own logo. While Walmart uses smiley faces, WalterMart features a red heart next to a blue… half-heart? Either way, it’s the effort that matters.

Sam I am

This photo, fittingly shared on Reddit by a user named SamStache, shows us a glimpse of an alternate universe: one where Finding Nemo is called Deepo, and every character is named Sam.

It would be interesting to watch this strange version of the movie—especially for fans of the original—but it could also get pretty confusing since everyone shares the exact same name.

The bonderful borld of Bisney

Someone shared this on Reddit after getting it as a gift from their grandparents. You can’t help but feel sorry for the grandparents, who just wanted to give their grandchild something nice.

At first, it seems pretty real. Mickey’s face looks fine, and the font has that playful, Disney-like style. But this isn’t a Disney product at all—it’s actually from Bisney.

Son of Game Boy

The original Game Boy had a fairly small screen on its large, brick-like body. Even though the screen was only 2.5 inches wide, had no backlight, and showed a dull green image, it would still feel like 4K compared to this thing.

I’ll admit, the Game Child has a few more buttons than the Game Boy. But trying to play anything on a screen the size of a postage stamp is just going to strain your eyes.

There’s a lot to process here

For those who aren’t familiar with the Kingdom of Hyrule or the Zelda universe, it’s understandable to mix up Princess Zelda, the main character, with Link — the green-clad elf-like hero who you actually control.

However, this product still completely misses the point. Not only does Pikachu have no connection to Zelda, but he’s also sporting a Superman shirt and cape for some bizarre reason.

When two types of tech collide

Anyone who grew up in the ’80s and ’90s understands that while a VCR wasn’t the most thrilling piece of technology, it was essential for anyone serious about home entertainment.

While VCRs still have a niche for VHS tape collectors, the technology hasn’t evolved much in the last three decades. This could either be an innovative attempt to blend modern gaming with VHS, or just a bizarre, misguided creation.

A weird theme to go for

It’s easy to see why off-brand companies want to cash in on popular superheroes but can’t use their actual names or branding due to potential lawsuits. However… a deceased hero? Couldn’t they have come up with a more creative name?

Sure, names like ‘Final Pool’ or ‘Dead Lake’ might have raised legal red flags, but just about any alternative would have been an improvement. Between the lifeless packaging art, the model’s awkward posture, and the name itself, the whole thing feels downright depressing.

It’s-a…me?

What started as a mere palette swap of the Mario character has evolved into Luigi: A legitimate Nintendo character who stands alone (even though he’s usually cast as Mario’s sidekick).

On the surface, nothing about this figurine looks off. The paint is crisp, the colors are accurate, and the proportions are correct (Luigi is taller and skinnier than his brother). The only issue — and unfortunately, it’s kind of a big one — is the initial on Luigi’s hat.

Truth in advertising

For many years, off-brand video game controllers flooded the market. They offered a low-quality, mushy control experience compared to the genuine article, offset slightly by a significantly lower price.

Usually these off-brand controllers opted for their own unique aesthetic, but this one just rips off Sony’s iconic DualShock design. It would seem like a shameless ripoff, but give them credit — they acknowledge right on the controller itself that it’s phony…err, fony.

Mo’ problems

Monopoly is a classic board game that’s spawned about a million variants. All you have to do, really, is rename the properties to go along with a specific theme while keeping the core gameplay intact.

It stands to reason that there will be rip-offs of the game itself, too. Here’s one such example, complete with the Monopoly Man’s poor cousin. If you are going to make a fake version of Monopoly, this at least isn’t a bad name for it.

The Forth Nace

The North Face has one of the simplest logos out there, with a stylized lowercase ‘N’ paired with the company name in a basic font. It seems like an easy logo to rip off, and this is proof positive.

Of course, a closer look reveals that this isn’t anything close to a genuine North Face product. But from a distance, some might confuse The Huge Mountain for The North Face.

This one has it all.

Are you here for off-brand Lego, or off-brand fast food restaurants? Well, with this playset, there’s no need to choose between the two. All of the staples are here, from Pizza Dude to FCS to SANDWICH.

This looks like it would actually be a fun set to put together — but if you’ve ever dealt with off-brand Lego, you already know that putting the bricks together and keeping them together is an exercise in patience.

Those don’t go together

Here’s a weird one. I know that product — it’s a pair of blue jeans. I also know that logo — it’s an unaltered Asus Computers logo. The big question, of course, is how a computer company’s branding wound up on a pair of jeans.

This could actually be a legitimate product, though it’s hard to envision a scenario where Asus would decide to get a bunch of custom pairs of jeans made up. T-shirts with the company logo would have sufficed.

A million ways to eat in the west

Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of the most successful, popular, and critically acclaimed video games ever made, so naturally there’s a drive to capitalize on its iconic and recognizable branding.

This is certainly a choice. You’ve got Arthur Morgan, the protagonist, drawn up using the game’s art style. Arthur isn’t holding a six-shooter, though — he’s carrying a chicken drumstick. I wasn’t expecting this, but I’d also be tempted to give it a try.

Age of nothing special

When using the word “Avengers” could open you up to a lawsuit, the next-best thing you can do is find another word that starts with the same letters. “Average” isn’t a particularly exciting word but it is, ultimately, a word.

It’s kind of funny that the designer of this box went to the effort to render the new word in the distinctive Avengers font, but then just left the “Age of Ultron” subheader completely untouched.

He is not the one who knocks

If this just had an actual Breaking Bad logo on it, it would look like one of those hyper-accurate action figures intended for adult collectors. But fans of the show don’t have that option, so they’ll have to settle for Biohazard Boy.

This product, if the real thing is anything like the picture, actually looks pretty awesome. There are many different ways to style Jesse Pinkman, although for these purposes he’s probably known as Bessie Jinkman.

Can I believe that it isn’t butter?

When you think about it, it’s a miracle that “I Can’t Believe it’s Not Butter!” became a well-known brand name because it’s just about the clunkiest product name in existence.

That said, it’s a successful product. All of the evidence you need is right here, because companies don’t rip off the brand names of unsuccessful products. In fact, this isn’t even the first variant of the brand I’ve seen online.

Those must be the Hollywood Hills

The background suggests Hollywood, while the foreground suggests…well, something other than Hollywood. Actually, the more you look at the background, the less it looks like Hollywood. Sure, there’s something that could be considered a Hollywood Sign, but that’s about it.

This community, wherever it is, really should have just picked a different international landmark to emulate. The Eiffel Tower is a good choice — they’ve got replicas of that everywhere.

Be like Mike

Considering Michael Jordan’s long partnership with Nike, it’s kind of surprising that this logo hasn’t been made official at some point or another. In any case, this is a great product for swoosh enthusiasts named Mike.

The guy who posted this on Reddit says that his name is Mike, so it’s hard to know whether this is a case of him seeing a product with his name on it and buying it, or merely a happy coincidence.

I see what he did there

If you’re a lawyer named Al Goodman, and a show comes up about a lawyer who goes by Saul Goodman, what do you do? A true lawyer might sue, but this lawyer decided to use the co-branding opportunity.

He did a great job with the billboard, as it truly matches the aesthetics of the fictional Saul Goodman. My only problem is the pronunciation. “Better Call Al” doesn’t rhyme, so it isn’t as catchy.

They get the message across

If you want to rip off a popular board game, but with an original title, these games are a masterclass. Sure, “Don’t Torment Me” isn’t as snappy as “Sorry!” but both capture the same vibe.

This makes me wonder what the names of other games might be. Could there be an off-brand Monopoly called “Rich People Ruin Things”? Maybe Scrabble could be rebranded as “Frustrating Little Letter Tiles?” The possibilities are endless.

It never says it’s Polo

How do you shamelessly use the brand name of the product you’re ripping off without getting sued? Easy, just put it in big letters, and surround it with disclaimers to state that this isn’t actually the product in question.

This one is truly breathtaking. Not only does it say ‘Polo’ in huge letters, it also states several times that not only isn’t actually Polo, but it’s also for comparison purposes only.

The Unincredibles

I’m no expert when it comes to lore surrounding The Incredibles, or really anything Pixar-related in general. But sometimes, you just know that something is off even when you’re not particularly familiar with it.

It’s hard not to feel sympathy for whoever created this. They really, really wanted to create a life-sized statue version of the titular superheroes, but they just couldn’t get a single detail to look remotely convincing.

It’s for genius people

You’ve played Uno, but have you tried Ono? This is a classic example of an off-brand — a product that looks like it’s the real thing from a distance, and only becomes obviously fake after you take a second look.

I do think that the manufacturers need to tone back their promises, though. Is Uno really a card game “for genius people?” I don’t think it is, but perhaps Ono is a different beast.

When you can’t decide on a ‘za

We’ve all been there: You’re hanging with your friends on a Friday night, and you’re trying to decide which pizza chain to order from. Do you go for the deep dish gluttony of Pizza Hut, or the non-deep dish gluttony of Domino’s?

Well, if you live near this city block, the choice doesn’t come down to Pizza Hut versus Domino’s. You can have Pizza Hot, or something from Adomino. That’s it.

They’re not wrong

Whoever named this rolling pin is absolutely, technically correct: This is, in fact, a movable stick, so they’ve decided to label it as such. The weird part is that the term ‘rolling pin’ is generic and they were free to use it.

Maybe they wanted to set a new trend by moving away from generic terms like this to create their own brand. Sure, “Movable Stick” isn’t an exciting or dynamic brand name — but it’s a starting point, at the very least.

They’ve got all the classics

The Redditor who posted this noted that these were on a display shelf at Ikea. That means that they’re intentionally fake and just serve as window dressing to make their lifestyle displays look more realistic.

This is a tad disappointing, because I’d like to check out an alternate reality where I can follow up a Need For Street session with some Calling for Duty on my GS4 video game console.

It almost looks legit.

There’s a seemingly endless parade of off-brand 7-Elevens around the world, from places called “8-Twelve” to “24-7.” This one, though, is extremely faithful to its source material, from the colors used to the font.

In fact, if you just glanced at this place and didn’t note the spelling, you might be fooled into thinking that this was a legit (albeit rustic and small) 7-Eleven franchise. I wonder if that’s Evelyn herself working the counter.

The Mushroom Kingdom, sort of

These off-brand versions of Mario, Luigi, DK, and the rest of the Mario gang actually look closer to the real thing than some of the Mushroom Kingdom abominations on this list. Still, it’s glaringly obvious that these are knock-offs.

This photo is from Google Street View, which uses AI to automatically blur people’s faces for privacy. It’s really weird that Luigi’s face is apparently close enough to a real human face to blur, but Mario’s isn’t.

An off-brand food court

Mall food courts typically feature a few chain restaurants and also a few random independent places. In this food court, though, you’ll find the best of both worlds: Random independent places that are trying very hard to look like big chain restaurants.

If you take the names of these restaurants and jumble them up, you could wind up with Pizza Hut and Burger King. Then again, you could also get Burger Hut and Pizza King.

Can they legally call it ketchup?

This isn’t ripping off Heinz, or French’s, or Hunt’s. It’s definitely its own brand. What I don’t understand is why they can’t just call it ‘ketchup’ since ‘ketchup’ is not a trademarked term.

Maybe the ingredients list is so low-quality that there’s some legal reason that this can’t be called ketchup — kind of like when low-end chocolate bars have to specify that they’re just a candy product with “chocolatey coating.”

Nuthin’ but a meat thang

These headphones are still Dre — they didn’t go full off-brand and call him Dr. Grey or something — but they’re no longer Beats. Now they’re Meats, complete with a cute lowercase M logo.

It makes sense to rip off a popular brand of headphones (well, it made more sense when everyone was still wearing these things), but calling them ‘Meats’ is certainly a choice — one that might get confusing for barbecue fans.

He has a plan

This poster seems like a trick to get gamers to perk up to notice something they otherwise wouldn’t. I guess whoever runs this church couldn’t resist the symmetry between redemption (the Christ kind) and redemption (the Red Dead kind).

The Red Dead protagonists, John Marston and Arthur Morgan, showed a decided lack of interest in religion throughout the games’ stories. Who knows — maybe if they’d gone to this church group, they could have avoided all of that rootin’ tootin’ drama.

Check your six

Snickers is an extremely popular candy bar, so it stands to reason that it’s frequently ripped off. Some brands just take the Snickers ingredients and slap a new name and logo on it, while others choose not to mess with success and stay true to the real branding.

‘Snipers’ does sound somewhat like ‘Snickers,’ but it’s a word with alarming connotations. If the makers of this bar wanted a soundalike word, they should have called it ‘Knickers.’

The hat from Weirder Stuff.

Stranger Things is the Netflix hit that just keeps giving, creating a whole cottage industry of merchandise and Halloween costumes. Here, we can see the genuine article compared with its off-brand equivalent.

It’s kind of funny that the makers of the SPORTS HAT costume flipped the colors around. I doubt Stranger Things trademarked the exact sequence of colors on Dustin’s hat, but knowing how the entertainment industry operates, it’s certainly possible.

A very literal product

Whether you’re heading to the beach or just want something to wear in a communal shower, a good pair of slides is a must-have when it comes to footwear.

We’re not sure if these slides are an actual Google product or not (maybe some sort of corporate swag?), but in any event, it’s a clever bit of synergy. That’s assuming you want to wear a Google Slides logo on your feet.

Oh, I get it

This is a delightfully clever way to reference Aladdin without actually using the name. Still, whoever came up with this may have been a bit too clever for their own good.

That’s because there’s no need to make an off-brand version of Aladdin. The character and name are not owned by Disney — in fact, they’re not owned by anybody, as the Middle Eastern folk tale is way older than Disney. It’s definitely public domain at this point.

Nanica, my favorite video game brand

Credit where credit is due: This box art absolutely nails the Nintendo Switch aesthetic, and it does look like a legit Switch if you don’t look too close.

It looks like a Switch, and it apparently includes 800 games — what a bargain! It’s just too bad that this thing isn’t a Switch at all. It’s a Nanica Smitch, and it doesn’t even have thumbsticks. Looks like they pulled the ol’ smitcheroo.

Angry at Mondays

Yes, this is a sweater vest that promises Garfield but delivers only Angry Birds. Looking past that for a moment, I want to take a moment to appreciate this as a work of art.

Usually, these knock-off garments come in the form of a cheap white t-shirt or baseball hat, but this looks like it might actually be a quality garment. It would just take a lot of confidence to pull off this look.

Microsoft Windows: Now in cheese flavor

It makes perfect sense to rip off a successful tech brand like Microsoft’s Windows for an off-brand tech product, but it’s truly innovative to take the iconic Windows logo and apply it to a bag of mysterious cheese-flavored snacks.

While it would be interesting to see what these look and taste like (please tell me they’re shaped like the Windows logo), it might be best to just press CTRL+ALT+DEL on these snacks.

A tale as old as time

Cats versus mice (or rats) is a classic trope, and it makes sense that this eternal battle plays out in all manner of cartoons and other forms of entertainment.

In this case, we see another iteration. This one takes the classic cartoon characters of Tom and Jerry and names them…Cat and Rat. That’s one way to get around the lawyers, but I can’t imagine the Tom and Jerry IP is even worth that much these days.

Is that the new Zamsung Lagaxy Ultra?

Samsung has positioned itself as a competitor to Apple, with a whole suite of smartphones, earbuds, smartwatches and tablets to match Apple’s offerings. And just like Apple, Samsung has seen various off-brands try to capitalize on its success.

I’m genuinely curious to see how this phone operates. Practically anything can run Android, so with a few tweaks, it might not be that much of a step down from a legitimate Samsung phone.

Red, white and blue

This backpack depicts a hero and features a patriotic color scheme — so does that mean it’s Captain America? No. The answer is definitely not.

First off, Mario is demonstrably not American at all. He’s Italian, and he was created in Japan. It’s a shame that this has the big ‘Captain America’ text because if they just did away with the lettering, it would actually look like a genuine Nintendo product.

What does YouTube smell like?

“Body sprays that smell like websites” wasn’t on anyone’s Bingo card for today, but regardless, it’s here now. I’d be legitimately curious to smell these — I’m guessing Instagram smells best, based solely on how many lifestyle influencers are on the platform.

The Twitter spray will probably stay branded that way. If they updated it to X, the makers of Axe body spray might see it as too close to their brand.

It’s got the golden arches, that’s all that matters

Every fast food startup dreams of reaching the level of success that McDonald’s has, but in the end, there’s only one brand with those iconic golden arches. Or so I thought — until I came across this picture.

It’s tough to see how this place could stay in business for long with such an obvious infringement on McDonald’s intellectual property. At least they didn’t copy Coca-Cola. Based on that umbrella, it seems they at least serve the real thing.