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They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but these knockoffs are just ridiculous! Join us as we count down our picks for the most shameless product impersonators ever created. From "Sunbucks Coffee" to "MichaelSoft Binbows," these copycat brands tried their hardest (or barely tried at all) to fool consumers with their bizarre take on popular products.
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00:00Don't be a sap, Dad. These are just crappy knockoffs.
00:03I know a genuine Panophonics when I see it.
00:06And look, there's Magnetbox and Zorny.
00:08Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks
00:11for the strangest and most shameless knockoff products and brands.
00:24Number 20. Mountain Lightning, Mountain Lion, Mountain Dew.
00:28To do the dew, you must drink a Mountain Dew.
00:36Common knowledge.
00:37Walmart and Food Lion introduced the public to alternative dew methods
00:41with their Mountain Lightning and Mountain Lion sodas, respectively.
00:44Walmart's Mountain Lightning showcases the same recognizable color scheme as Mountain Dew.
00:49Pour that bad boy on in. Let's get right on into it.
00:52Dare we say it's a little too similar.
00:54It does have less caffeine, though.
00:56As for Food Lion's Mountain Lion, the bottle design doesn't exactly pop out at you.
01:01It's the Mountain Dew-like green liquided houses that does that.
01:04But bottle appearance, soda color, and taste aside,
01:08the idea of asking someone if there are any Mountain Lions in the garage just sounds odd.
01:13I mean, hey, you don't know which one to choose?
01:15Definitely choose this. This is pretty damn good.
01:16Changing one letter of a famous brand is a typical knockoff strategy.
01:23Basic toothpaste stops at the top.
01:25Crust goes deeper to dissolve the bonds that hold stains to teeth.
01:28But changing Crest toothpaste to Crust toothpaste?
01:32Seriously, what are we doing?
01:33The name Crust doesn't exactly scream dental hygiene.
01:37If anything, it sounds like it'd make your teeth less white,
01:39more cavity-prone, and give you absolutely terrible breath.
01:42Excuse me, sir. I hope my horrible ugliness won't be a distraction to you.
01:48Not at all, boy!
01:52But hey, who knows how many people have actually tried this stuff.
01:55Not much has to be said about why you should choose Crest over Crust.
01:59Let's just treat this toothpaste branding debacle as a lesson
02:02that one small letter can make a very big difference.
02:05New Crest Pro Health Clinical Toothpaste. Life opens up when you do.
02:09Number 18. Pranks. Tricks.
02:12We get the synonym strategy Prank Serial went with to distinguish itself from Trix,
02:16but it definitely seems like they missed a golden opportunity.
02:19Look at that raspberry, red, wild berry, blue, and lemony yellow combination!
02:24Why not use the X ending, as in P-R-A-N-X, instead of the P-R-A-N-K-S they went for?
02:30If you're gonna try to emulate Trix, it's only right.
02:33It must be said, though, that the animal mascot, a raccoon, not a rabbit, mind you,
02:38as well as the design on the pranks box do work pretty well.
02:42It's fun to imagine a commercial for this colorful cereal.
02:45They'd probably say something like,
02:47Silly raccoon, pranks are for kids.
02:49Silly rabbit.
02:50Pranks are for kids.
02:51It figures.
02:52Number 17.
02:53Wow, I totally thought it was butter.
02:55You'd butter believe it.
02:57I can't believe it's not butter.
02:58There's no shortage of butter substitutes out there.
03:01Many people know the famous I Can't Believe It's Not Butter,
03:04a brand of margarine that's been around since 1981.
03:07Today, we know better.
03:09That's why there's I Can't Believe It's Not Butter.
03:11There are also off-brands that play on the lengthy brand name fun with their own twists.
03:16One of those products is called Wow, I Totally Thought It Was Butter.
03:19Yeah, we bet you did.
03:20The other is called You'd Butter Believe It.
03:23Yeah, you butter.
03:24Maybe someday there'll be a No Way That's Not Butter 2.
03:27We'll let you decide which name is best.
03:29Now, we know better.
03:30I can't believe it's not butter.
03:32Number 16.
03:33Donkey Donuts.
03:34Dunkin' Donuts.
03:35Okay, we get it that Dunkin' Donuts technically goes by just Dunkin' now.
03:39That change occurred in 2019.
03:41Do I look familiar?
03:43No.
03:43But one thing's for sure.
03:45Competition from Donkey Donuts has nothing to do with that.
03:48Donkey Donuts clearly tried to replicate the Dunkin' Donuts vibe.
03:52The sign's font looks all too similar to the multinational mega chain.
03:56And the name, Donkey Donuts, well, leaves a lot to be desired.
03:59You donkey!
04:01The name Dunkin' Donuts came from the concept of dunking donuts into coffee.
04:05Donkey Donuts has the alliteration going for it, yes, but in terms of sounding like a legit
04:10appetizing alternative to a Dunkin' Donut, we don't think so.
04:13You might have seen a house fly, maybe even a super fly, but I bet you ain't never seen
04:18a donkey fly.
04:19BK is known for making sure you have it your way and letting us know we rule.
04:34BK, have it your way, you rule!
04:40The ubiquitous fast food chain has been around since the 1950s, and it's inspired other restaurants.
04:46Like, really inspired them.
04:47Exhibit A, Burger Madam and Sir.
04:50Instead of Burger King, it's a Madam and Sir.
04:52The name doesn't have the same snappiness as Burger King.
04:55Exhibit B, Burger Friends.
04:57One of multiple restaurants that appeared as part of a rise in the fast food scene in
05:01Baghdad, Iraq.
05:02Each of these restaurants' logos is nearly identical to Burger King's old logo.
05:07BK said, have it your way, not their way.
05:10Have it your way!
05:12Have it your way!
05:14At Burger King!
05:16Number 14.
05:17Skirple.
05:18Sharpie.
05:19You know you've made it when people stop saying permanent marker and just say Sharpie.
05:23Using your Sharpie to mark boards there, uh, Bob, huh?
05:25My name is Dave.
05:27With all due respect, it's hard to imagine the permanent marker known as Skirple ever
05:31reaching that status.
05:32This Chinese knockoff brand looks awfully familiar.
05:35The resemblance is uncanny, like permanent marker twins.
05:39And obviously, the fact that Skirple starts with an S only adds to the copycat energy.
05:43The Sharpie has been around since 1964, when it became the first ever pen-style permanent
05:48marker.
05:49Its dominance on the market seems, dare we say, permanent.
05:53No offense, Skirple.
05:54Sharpie.
05:55Write out loud.
05:56Number 13.
05:57Prongles.
05:58Pringles.
05:59As far as chips stacked in a tall cylindrical tube go, it doesn't get any better than Pringles.
06:05They do say, once you pop, you can't stop.
06:11With all those different flavors, and of course, that iconic Mustache Man logo, Pringles are
06:16world famous.
06:17But there's also been another stackable chip sold in a similar container with a pretty cool
06:21logo of its own.
06:22Its name, Prongles.
06:24That's right.
06:25There's Pringles, and then there's Prongles.
06:28Or at least there was.
06:29People were understandably confused when these parody chips appeared in the Cards and Games
06:34section at Target stores in 2017.
06:37Soon after, we found out Prongles was created by the same company that made the party game
06:41Cards Against Humanity.
06:42That explains it, sorta.
06:45I'm gonna leave it as fast.
06:48That's great!
06:49Number 12.
06:50Nut Master.
06:51Nutella.
06:52This one's a real head-scratcher.
06:54Make breakfast special with the cocoa and hazelnutty goodness of Nutella.
06:57Nut Master is apparently a Nutella-like product made in Turkey.
07:01But let's just say the name might make you think it's something else.
07:04Seriously, what went into the thought process here?
07:06Besides a very questionable name of pure hilarity, Nut Master has a very similar label and color
07:12scheme as Nutella.
07:13Delicious on porridge.
07:14You know how sometimes you notice a product on the shelf for its shape, color, or design
07:18rather than the name?
07:20Well, even with those similarities, if you were to spot a Nut Master container, how could
07:24you not do a double-take?
07:25Let's not kid ourselves.
07:27The master of hazelnut cocoa spreads is Nutella.
07:30Nutella.
07:31Always better together.
07:32Number 11.
07:34Phony.
07:34Sony.
07:35They're not even trying to hide it.
07:37You're looking at the biggest single product Sony has ever had.
07:40This gaming controller has the name Phony on it instead of Sony.
07:44And rather than the typical buttons, triangle, circle, X, and square, found on a Sony PlayStation
07:49controller, the Phony's controller buttons are F, O, N, and Y.
07:54At the same time, it does look like it has all the buttons you need.
07:57But it's hard to believe these things would be as functional or durable as a regular Sony
08:01controller.
08:02At least the name is a warning in and of itself.
08:05It's quite literally a phony, albeit with an F.
08:08PlayStation.
08:09Number 10.
08:10Robert Cop.
08:11RoboCop.
08:12If you grew up in the 1980s, you definitely remember RoboCop.
08:16Dead or alive, you are coming with me.
08:18Part man, part machine, all cop.
08:21This movie spawned countless catchphrases, toys, and even several sequels.
08:25However, if you stumble across an action figure of the famous robot cop in-store today, you
08:30might want to take a closer look at the label.
08:32Anything you say may be used against you.
08:35It's dead.
08:36A few years ago, a series of Robert Cop action figures appeared on the shelves of Chinese
08:43department stores, bearing a striking resemblance to the real titular police officer.
08:47However, they're so close, in fact, that to compare them side by side would yield little
08:52to no difference in appearance.
08:54Except for the tagline, that is.
08:56Apparently, Robert Cop is the furniture of law enforcement.
09:00Number 9.
09:01Dr. Bob.
09:02Dr. Pepper.
09:03First Robert, now Bob.
09:05Apparently, the name is a common theme in rip-offs.
09:08Anyway, walk into any major grocery chain, and you'll often find a store-brand version
09:12of the more popular sodas.
09:13I'm used to it.
09:15I'm a doctor.
09:16Great Value, Big 8, and countless other no-name brands are always cheaply priced.
09:21Normally, the names are distinct enough from the original to stand apart, but positioned
09:24close enough to their counterparts to make the comparison.
09:27I'm revoking your license, Dr. Thunder.
09:29Thumbs down.
09:29Dr. Bob, a variation on the Dr. Pepper brand, fits the bill.
09:33Even if it does come up a little short on the creativity front.
09:37Oh, now he's a doctor?
09:39Before he was a podiatrist.
09:41And Dr. Bob isn't the only soda brand out there to mimic the doctor in the title.
09:45Do you know any others?
09:47Number 8.
09:47Game Child.
09:48Game Boy.
09:49Although not technically the first portable game system, Nintendo's Game Boy was certainly
09:54the first major success in the market.
09:56Introducing Game Boy.
09:58It's portable.
09:59It's in stereo.
10:00And its games are interchangeable.
10:02Sales exploded.
10:04And video game fans were eager to finally play their games on the go.
10:08Given the popularity, it was only a matter of time before someone tried to rip off the
10:12idea.
10:13Enter the Game Child.
10:15Modeled nearly identically to the original Game Boy, this copycat could easily fool a
10:20parent unfamiliar with handheld game consoles.
10:22The biggest difference was that the Game Child did not allow you to play separately sold cartridges.
10:28Instead, you were limited to one built-in game out of six options per Game Child, with
10:33the name of the game indicated on the box.
10:36Number 7.
10:37Special Man.
10:38Superman.
10:39It's a bird.
10:40It's a plane.
10:41It's a knockoff.
10:43Hey, it's Superman.
10:46It's safe to say that no one's claiming that Superman isn't special.
10:50He's got super strength, x-ray vision, and the power of flight.
10:54What's not special about that?
10:55Hi there.
10:56Something wrong with the elevator?
10:57Well, someone out there thought it ought to be made a little more forthright, and thus,
11:05Special Man was born.
11:06One look at the outside, and it's clear as day that this is a Superman action figure encased
11:11in different packaging.
11:12He's not that special.
11:15The cape, the belt, the famous S on his chest, and even his twirl of hair are all identical
11:21to the original.
11:22Come on, guys.
11:23You could have tried to make it look at least a little different.
11:26He is very special, this one.
11:29Number 6.
11:30Dolce & Banana.
11:32Dolce & Gabbana.
11:33A quick Google search for Dolce & Banana will yield a plethora of results, all related
11:38to poking fun at the Italian fashion house Dolce & Gabbana.
11:41What are you doing?
11:42Ooh, Dolce, nice.
11:45Admittedly, the latter half of their name does sound an awful lot like Banana.
11:50This, of course, has opened them up to plenty of mockery in the form of banana-themed apparel.
11:55However, a little shop in Cape Town, South Africa decided to use the mock name for their
11:59jewelry shop.
12:00They're not hers.
12:01They're not Dolce's.
12:02Technically, they've been abandoned.
12:04Dolce & Gabbana sued them, forcing a name change.
12:07But that hasn't stopped the onslaught of t-shirts, bags, and stickers depicting a banana with the
12:12original brand's logo.
12:14Number 5.
12:15Boreo Cream Betweens.
12:17Oreo.
12:17Introduced over a century ago, Oreo has become the best-selling cookie brand in the United
12:23States.
12:24Two chocolate wafers separated by a cream filling have become a staple of sweets among
12:28fans around the world.
12:29Most Oreos.
12:33Oreos, you mean the cookie?
12:35Mmm.
12:38Case in point, the Egyptian company Family Nutrition created a copycat of the cookie
12:43called Boreo and sold it within Egypt.
12:46Another knock-off brand is called Cream Betweens, which appears to be far more available across
12:51the United States compared to its Egyptian counterpart.
12:53Is it A. Saucerose, B. Choco Pucks, C. Cream Betweens, or D. Chocolate-flavored-sadness
13:03food?
13:03We hate to say it, but these replicas are sort of well-deserved, considering Oreos are actually
13:08an imitation in themselves of the preceding Hydrox cookie.
13:11Turns out revenge is a dish best served with a glass of milk.
13:15Number 4.
13:16Benign Girl.
13:17Barbie.
13:18Hugely popular around the world, Barbie has been a staple of chili
13:23children's toys since the early 1960s.
13:26Much like any other popular brand, it too has seen its share of mimicry over the years.
13:30One interesting variation of Barbie is a Taiwanese brand, Benign Girl.
13:41It's hard to know what the creators were thinking of with the name, but we're guessing it has
13:46something to do with a poor translation.
13:48They both start with B. That's basically the same thing, right?
13:51If you weren't one of those kids who wanted a cell phone of your own, well, Benign Girl's
13:55got you covered.
13:56Their most popular product seems to be a pink flip phone, but they've also recently acquired
14:00a pink smartphone.
14:02You know, for the newer generations.
14:04Number 3.
14:05Panburger Partner.
14:06Hamburger Helper.
14:07Have you ever gone to the grocery store and wanted to pick up a specific brand name
14:11for a product, then accidentally grabs the no-name one instead?
14:14Ketchup.
14:16Ketchup.
14:17Ketchup.
14:20Ketchup.
14:21Ketchup.
14:23We're thinking the makers of Panburger Partner were looking to take advantage of such
14:28oversights when they created this product.
14:30Hi.
14:30Who's that?
14:31That's the helping hand Mom gets with Hamburger Helper.
14:34Clearly a replica of the Betty Crocker branded Hamburger Helper, this beef noodle mix leaves
14:39nothing to the imagination when it comes to its inspiration.
14:42With a similar colored box and almost identical photographs on the front, there is no mistaking
14:47what they're up to.
14:48One thing is still bothering us though.
14:50Just what did they do with Lefty the Helping Hand?
14:53Hamburger Helper.
14:54Party Beef Noodle.
14:55Makes a great need.
14:57Number 2.
14:58Microsoft Bimbos.
15:00Microsoft Windows.
15:00In 2004, a Canadian student by the name of Mike Rowe got into a lawsuit with Microsoft
15:07over a domain name called MikeRoweSoft.com.
15:11This is it, Marge.
15:12I poured my heart and soul into this business and now it's finally paying off.
15:16We're rich, richer than astronauts.
15:18Mike eventually settled with the tech giant, but it appears others may have used similar
15:23tactics to corral customers.
15:25Microsoft Bimbos was a computer repair shop located in Japan.
15:28The sign shown in photos depicts an older Microsoft logo, as well as styled text similar
15:34to the original, all perched on a building-side billboard.
15:37As funny as the name is, it makes a little more sense when you understand the pun behind
15:41it.
15:42Bimbo is a Japanese term meaning cheap.
15:45Either way, the store's signage became quite the internet meme long after it had closed
15:49its doors.
15:50How could it not?
15:52Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to get notified
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16:02If you're on your phone, make sure you go into your settings and switch on notifications.
16:08Number 1.
16:09Sunbuck's Coffee
16:10Starbucks
16:10When you become one of the world's most successful coffee vendors, it's only a matter
16:15of time before someone tries to reproduce your formula.
16:18Hi, I'm Nathan Fielder, president and founder of Dumb Starbucks.
16:22Or in this case, your entire logo.
16:25Sunbuck's Coffee is a Chinese version of the famous Seattle-based coffee brand Starbucks.
16:29While retaining the white and green colors, Sunbuck's uses a Chinese dragon in the center
16:34of their logo, as opposed to the legendary mermaid Starbucks fans have come to recognize.
16:38As distasteful as brand copycats are, things could be worse than Sunbuck's Coffee.
16:44At least they aren't Starbucks Beatles, where, you guessed it, they don't exactly sell your
16:49morning brew.
16:50Have you ever tried any of these knockoff brands?
16:53Let us know in the comments below.
16:54This is a real business I plan to get rich from, but I need your support.
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