Uncle Martian, a Chinese knockoff of sportswear brand Under Armour, has been launched to widespread criticism.
The two brands’ logos are nearly identical, with a white stylized letter U above and inverted U on a red background.
The Chinese brand’s launch “has been met with skepticism by increasingly savvy consumers, who appear to be tired of their country’s being associated with cheap copycat products,”
The New York Times reported, adding that Under Armour was also not impressed.
“Uncle Martian’s uses of Under Armour’s famous logo, name, and other intellectual property are a serious concern and blatant infringement,” Diane Pelkey, a spokeswoman for Under Armour, said in an emailed statement, according to The Times. “Under Armour will vigorously pursue all business and legal courses of action.”
Uncle Martian was launched by apparel manufacturer Tingfei Long Sporting Goods, according to The Times, and executive Huang Canlong said it was meant to be a high-profile brand with high standards.
Users of Weibo, China’s equivalent of Twitter, criticized the new brand, with posts including: “How come you can’t even design a logo, all you do is plagiarize, don’t you feel it’s disgusting?” and “The Chinese have lost face, and don’t blame people when they say they look down upon domestic brands,” according to The Times.
The Uncle Martian brand even shared a post on Weibo showing the
two brands together, Business Insider reported.
Tingfei Long Sporting Goods Co., based in China's Fujian province, has been manufacturing
off-brand sports shoes, according to Mashable.
Shanghaiist said that China has found success in disregarding international copyright laws, noting that “Last year, a company that began as a Segway copycat actually bought Segway.”
China Business Review said enforcement of intellectual property rights laws in China is lax, and winning a case “is unlikely if a company does not understand the rules of the game.”
Twitter users reacted to the knock-off brand.
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