The fight against dupe culture
Marketing strategies for countering luxury copycats
Date
September, 2024
Author
Sophie J. Barnes
Dupes are more popular than ever, but what does this mean for luxury branding? We dove into the world of dupe culture to find out.
source: Charlotte Tilbury / e.l.f. Cosmetics
Gen Z trends are reshaping consumer culture, and luxury brands are the latest industry to feel the impact. The facts speak for themselves: according to Women’s Health, half of 15- to 24-year-olds admit they don’t care if a product is fake if the genuine version is too expensive. Research by Mintel further shows that 74% of make-up users believe affordable products work just as well as premium ones. So, what does this mean for luxury branding, and how can brands adapt? Here’s our take.
Not long ago (think early 2000s), dupe culture was a major faux pas; being caught with a knock-off Louis Vuitton was seen as tacky at best. Fast forward to today, and the conversation around counterfeit products has taken a total one-eighty. Even the language has evolved—from ‘fakes’ and ‘knock-offs’ to the socially acceptable ‘dupes’. Beyond influencers championing the trend, entire business models are now built around dupe culture. Take Dupeshop, for instance, a comparison website that pits high-end beauty products against their dupe counterparts. Its popularity stems from its transparency, offering in-depth consumer insights, hundreds of reviews, and a platform for users to weigh in. Meanwhile, luxury fragrances are being duped at an alarming rate, with businesses like The Essence Vault and Dossier using technology to replicate fragrance formulations to a tee and selling perfume dupes for a fraction of the price.
Where Did Dupe Culture Come From?
The rise of dupe culture reflects both a generational and cultural shift towards brand transparency, as well as a need to keep up with social media-induced micro trends. To counter the growing number of cheaper look-alikes, luxury brands need to communicate why their products justify a higher price tag while aligning with Gen Z values. While Gen Z’s luxury spending is expected to grow three times faster than that of older generations (Forbes), they are still not immune to the cost-of-living crisis. But it’s not just the price that matters—it’s whether or not brands tick boxes that align with their core values. Because, while the elite status of a Gucci label was enough to convince customers a decade ago, today’s consumers demand accountability, authenticity and transparency from the brands they support.
There’s good reason for luxury brands to take dupe culture seriously, as the trend shows no signs of slowing down. Gen Z’s scepticism of big brands means influencers who scour the internet to find the ‘ultimate dupe’ are heralded for their efforts as a sort of beauty vigilante or Robin Hood of the luxury world. Google searches for the term ‘dupe’ have risen by 83% year-on-year, while searches for ‘perfume dupes’ take the cake with a 174% increase. Gen Z relies heavily on social media—where dupe culture thrives—for beauty, fashion, and fragrance inspiration. In fact, social media is Gen Z’s top source for make-up information, and TikTok is currently the most popular platform for beauty purchases, with around 53% of Gen Z consumers using the app for buying inspiration (Statista).
While the early ‘00s counterfeit culture was fuelled by glossy magazine ads and TV commercials, today’s pop culture moves at a much faster pace, with micro-trends and an overload of content driving the pressure to keep up. When you consider that 69% of Gen Z believes dupes give them the same luxury feeling without the hefty price tag, it’s easy to see why dupe culture has taken over: it satiates Gen Z’s desire for instantaneous gratification and aligns with the ultra-fast nature of online micro-trends.
Given the coveted nature of luxury products, it’s no surprise they’ve become a target for Gen Z’s social media-driven dupe obsession. The fashion and beauty sectors have been hit hard, with high-end brands like Charlotte Tilbury being swapped out for drugstore alternatives, such as e.l.f. products, and even Tom Ford being compared to Zara’s checkout-line perfumes. So, what’s the answer to dupe culture, and how can luxury brands best adapt?
source: Tom Ford / Zara
If You Can’t Beat Them, Join Them
Winning against dupe culture isn’t impossible. In fact, brands can use it to their advantage—if they join the movement. The key is to engage with dupe culture, not fight against it. Take Lululemon, for example: in 2023, the brand was heavily impacted by a trend showcasing knock-off versions of their popular Align leggings. Rather than fighting back, Lululemon embraced the trend by organising a two-day Dupe Swap event at their Los Angeles store. The offer? Exchange an off-brand look-alike for a genuine pair of Align leggings. The campaign was a major success, with participants flocking to the pop-up event to experience Lululemon for themselves, and, according to the brand, the event resulted in plenty of new long-term Lululemon lovers (and repeat customers).
Olaplex provides another interesting case study. As one of the most frequently duped hair care brands (the hashtag #olaplexdupe has amassed a staggering 32 million views on TikTok), the stakes were high. In 2023, Olaplex took control of the dupe narrative when they rolled out Oladupé—a fictitious product that looked nearly identical to their best-selling No.3 Hair Perfector. The brand sent 700 bottles of Oladupé to influencers who in turn shared content about the astoundingly similar ‘dupe’ with their audiences.
The tongue-in-cheek campaign generated 400 posts and 22 million views of the hashtag #Oladupe. But here’s the catch: once customers clicked through to oladupe.com, they were redirected to the original Olaplex website. Because nothing is better than the real thing—or so the campaign will try to convince you. By leaning into dupe culture, Olaplex was able to dupe the dupers and promote their brand at the same time. And to sweeten the deal, Olaplex gave a free bottle of Oladupé (AKA Olaplex No. 3 rebranded) to the first 160 people who registered via their website.
Dupe culture presents a unique opportunity for luxury brands to connect with Gen Z through creativity, humour, and authenticity. By engaging with the trend rather than avoiding it, brands can show confidence in their products while tapping into a new market of potential customers who might not have considered buying from them otherwise. While dupe culture can certainly be a nuisance, it’s also a mark of brand strength. After all, if imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then dupe culture is Gen Z’s stamp of approval. Our advice? Lean into it with playful marketing strategies that capitalise on the existing hype while attracting new customers. One thing’s for sure: the issue of dupe culture for luxury branding isn’t going anywhere. So, as the saying goes, if you can’t beat them, join them.
