Countering Counterfeit Branding: Implications for Public-Sector Marketing

Abstract

ABSTRACTCounterfeit products are a large and growing problem. Counterfeiting has negative effects from both an economic and a consumer perspective. The majority of the research on counterfeiting has focused its attention at the individual level regarding consumers’ motivation toward buying counterfeit brands, which did not consider the influence of copy culture or mimesis. This paper conceptualizes counterfeit or fake branding at a cultural process level to more clearly illuminate the persistent marketing problem. First, we discuss the counterfeit-brand issue, then introduce the theory of mimesis to illuminate consumers’ relationships with counterfeit brands and issues of cultural appropriation. Next a model with implications for action and consequent propositions for policy are discussed. The paper concludes with suggestions for future research.