Top 10 Ridiculous Knock-Off Brands

RoboCop
If you grew up in the 1980s, you definitely remember Robocop. Part man, part machine, all cop, this movie spawned countless catchphrases, toys, and even several sequels! However, if you stumble across an action figure of the famous robot-cop in-store today, you might want to take a closer look at the label. A few years ago, a series of “Robert Cop” action figures appeared on the shelves of Chinese department stores, bearing a striking resemblance to the real titular police officer. They’re so close, in fact, that to compare them side by side would yield little to no difference in appearance. Except for the tagline, that is. Apparently, Robert Cop is “The Furniture of Law Enforcement”!

Dr. Pepper
First Robert, now Bob. Apparently, the name is a common theme in rip-offs… Walk into any major grocery chain and you’ll often find a store brand version of the more popular sodas. Great Value, Big 8, and countless other “no-name” brands are always cheaply priced. Normally, the names are distinct enough from the original to stand apart, but positioned close enough to their counterparts to make the comparison. “Dr. Bob”, a variation on the Dr. Pepper brand, fits the bill...even if it does come up a little short on the creativity front. And Dr. Bob isn’t the only soda brand out there to mimic the “Dr.” in the title. Do you know any others?

Game Boy
Although not technically the first portable game system, Nintendo’s Game Boy was certainly the first major success in the market. Sales exploded and video game fans were eager to finally play their games on the go. Given the popularity, it was only a matter of time before someone tried to rip off the idea. Enter: the “Game Child”. Modeled nearly identically to the original Gameboy, this copycat could easily fool a parent unfamiliar with handheld game consoles. The biggest difference was that the Game Child did not allow you to play separately-sold cartridges. Instead, you were limited to one built-in game (out of six options) per Game Child, with the name of the game indicated on the box.

Superman
It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s…a knockoff! It’s safe to say that no one’s claiming that Superman isn’t special. He’s got super strength, x-ray vision, and the power of flight! What’s not special about that? Well, someone out there thought it ought to be made a little more forthright, and thus: “Specialman” was born. One look at the outside, and it’s clear as day that this is a Superman action figure encased in different packaging. The cape, the belt, the famous “S” on his chest, and even his twirl of hair are all identical to the original. Come on, guys! You could have tried to make it look at least a little different!

Dolce & Gabbana
A quick Google search for “Dolce & Banana” will yield a plethora of results all related to poking fun at the Italian fashion house Dolce & Gabbana. Admittedly, the latter half of their name does sound an awful lot like banana. This, of course, has opened them up to plenty of mockery in the form of banana-themed apparel. However, a little shop in Cape Town, South Africa decided to use the mock name for their jewelry shop. Dolce & Gabbana sued them, forcing a name change, but that hasn’t stopped the onslaught of t-shirts, bags, and stickers depicting a banana with the original brand’s logo.

Oreo
Introduced over a century ago, Oreo has become the best-selling cookie brand in the United States. Two chocolate wafers separated by a creme filling have become a staple of sweets among fans around the world. Case in point, the Egyptian company Family Nutrition created a copycat of the cookie called “Borio” and sold it within Egypt. Another knockoff brand is called “Creme Betweens”, which appears to be far more available across the United States compared to its Egyptian counterpart. We hate to say it, but these replicas are sort of well-deserved, considering Oreos are actually an imitation in themselves of the preceding Hydrox cookie. Turns out, revenge is a dish best served with a glass of milk.

Barbie
Hugely popular around the world, Barbie has been a staple of children’s toys since the early 1960s. Much like any other popular brand, it too has seen its share of mimicry over the years. One interesting variation of Barbie is a Taiwanese brand “Benign Girl”. It’s hard to know what the creators were thinking of with the name, but we’re guessing it has something to do with a poor translation. They both start with B… That’s basically the same thing, right? If you were one of those kids who wanted a cell phone of your own: well, Benign Girl’s got you covered. Their most popular product seems to be a pink flip phone, but they’ve also recently acquired a pink smartphone. You know, for the newer generations.

Hamburger Helper
Have you ever gone to the grocery store and wanted to pick up a specific brand name for a product, then accidentally grabbed the no-name one instead? We’re thinking the makers of “Panburger Partner” were looking to take advantage of such oversights when they created this product. Clearly a replica of the Betty Crocker branded “Hamburger Helper”, this beef noodle mix leaves nothing to the imagination when it comes to its inspiration. With a similar colored box, almost identical photographs on the front, there’s no mistaking what they’re up to. One thing is still bothering us, though... Just what did they do with Lefty, the Helping Hand?!

Microsoft Windows
In 2004, a Canadian student by the name of Mike Rowe got into a lawsuit with Microsoft over a domain name called “MikeRoweSoft.com”. Mike eventually settled with the tech giant, but it appears others may have used similar tactics to corral customers. “MichaelSoft Binbows'' was a computer repair shop located in Japan. The sign shown in photos depicts an older Microsoft logo, as well as styled text similar to the original, all perched on a building side billboard. As funny as the name is, it makes a little more sense when you understand the pun behind it: "binbo" is a Japanese term meaning "cheap”. Either way, the store’s signage became quite the internet meme long after it had closed its doors. How could it not?!

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Donkey Donuts
Dunkin Donuts

Cocoa Peanut Butter Spheres
Reese’s Puffs

Skerpie
Sharpie

Burger Madam & Sir / Burger Friends
Burger King

Starbucks
When you become one of the world’s most successful coffee vendors, it’s only a matter of time before someone tries to reproduce your formula. Or, in this case, your entire logo. “Sunbucks Coffee” is a Chinese version of the famous Seattle-based coffee brand, Starbucks. While retaining the white and green colors, Sunbucks uses a Chinese dragon in the center of their logo, as opposed to the legendary mermaid Starbucks fans have come to recognize. As distasteful as brand copycats are, things could be worse than Sunbucks Coffee. At least they aren’t “Starbugs Beetles” where, you guessed it, they don’t exactly sell your morning brew.