Finding the perfect dupe: Exploring the Gen Z dupe culture TikTok trend using promotional merchandise

Have you been duped?

Dupes are the most current trend changing the way we shop (for better and for worse). 

“I’ve found the perfect dupe!” rings out from Gen Z phones like an early morning alarm to buy buy buy that deal.

“Don’t walk, run!” “20 people have this item in their basket right now!” “Don’t miss out on this exclusive, limited-run, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of a great deal!” 

Influencers, celebrities, and even our next-door neighbours are becoming savvy shoppers and sharing the best deals, discounts and dupes of our favourite products. We’ve become obsessed with hunting down the best imitations of classic must-haves without the price tags. 

And it’s time your marketing strategy embraced Gen Z’s dupe culture hype, too. 

We’ve taken a deep dive into the world of dupes. From illegal counterfeits to trending TikTok favourites, we’ve even duped ourselves with some promotional merchandise alternatives to trending high street brand favourites. 

Exploring what’s currently trending on social media is one of the best ways to refresh your marketing strategy to keep appealing and engaging your audience.

That’s why we’re always on the pulse of the next big trend, translating and adapting it for that big B2B impact. It’s about reshaping and interpreting trends through a product media lens.

Are you ready to get trending?

TL:DR: The history of dupes

What’s a ‘dupe? 
Whilst ‘dupe’ might not be a new term, ‘dupe’ as we’ve come to know it is a term coined by TikTok users to mean an open and honest imitation of a sought-after high-end product that’s usually affordable at less than £100. 

Previously, they probably would have been colloquially referred to as ‘knockoffs’ or ‘fakes’, however the term ‘dupe’ has ‘less emotional baggage’ than these references.

Are dupes fake?
This may come as a big surprise, but dupes are not considered fake or counterfeit products. 

Counterfeit products are back-alley copies masquerading as the originals that conceal the fact that they are fakes. 

Even when the copy is of such high quality that the experts can't tell it apart from the real thing, if the buyer thinks they're getting an authentic product it is classed as a counterfeit or forgery.

A classic example of this is John Myatt's famous "genuine fake" paintings, which are so painstakingly close to the originals that they are highly valued in their own right.

Dupes, on the other hand, do not market themselves as copies of the original product, and it is usually only when they are discovered by content creators that they are awarded with being an affordable ‘dupe’ for expensive brands. 

Think: Temu’s Jellycat dupes. 

In a legal sense, dupes are also in the all-clear, as they do not replicate trademark names, logos or details, so are not in breach of copyright or intellectual property laws. 

Such as recreated vintage Bentley motor cars that have been built to pay homage to iconic shapes from the 1930s. They use more modern, genuine Bentleys for the chassis and running gear, which means they can still use the badges and branding, and they mean you get the same thrills for a fraction of the price. Not copies. Not fakes. But an honest imitation. 

“Nobody wants to be like, ‘Yeah, I got this awesome knockoff.’ But ‘I got this great dupe’ — you sound savvy.”
Kal Raustiala, lawyer

What does ‘dupe’ mean? 
There is a dispute over what the word ‘dupe’ means. 

One argument is that the word is derived from ‘duplicate’, as the product labelled as a ‘dupe’ is a ‘duplicate’ of the original in all aspects other than price. 

However, there’s an argument that the term actually comes from the verb ‘to dupe’, meaning to trick, which denotes a darker side to the dupe trend.

Dupe lore 
Even though the term ‘dupe’ is relatively new, brand imitations are not. 

They first appeared online in the early 2000s, with beauty influencers gaining online audiences from sharing products similar to high-end cosmetic brands but without the expensive price tags. 

It was only after the 2008 recession did the term ‘dupe’ came to mean a cheaper alternative.  

Dupe content now covers all genres, from tech and fashion to destinations and even groceries.

Dupe culture

What’s dupe culture?
With 11% of UK consumers buying a dupe every few months, dupe culture is rapidly becoming more mainstream, with the TikTok hashtag #dupe having had over 6 billion views to date.

But, what exactly is dupe culture?

Dupe culture is playful 
Dupes are meant to be a playful take on high-end products. Having also been made popular by discount supermarket chains like Aldi and Lidl, retailers are having fun imitating more expensive brands, such as Aldi’s £4 Jellycat dragon dupe.

Dupe culture is proud 
Those who find and purchase dupes are proud to share and wear their dupe finds. There’s nothing shady about sharing dupes, and with 47% of 13-to-39-year-olds having purchased a dupe, consumers are not hiding their support of dupes, either.

Dupe culture is a celebration
Dupe culture is a celebration of finding a good deal. Influencers are praised for finding the best dupes of otherwise inaccessible products due to extortionate pricing, opening up trends to all demographics. If a product is labelled a ‘dupe’ it’s effectively a consumer stamp of approval.

Why is dupe culture trending with Gen Z?

Gen Z loves a dupe, with only 9% having never bought one. #dupe, #doupe or #doop are some of the most searched-for hashtags on social media. 

Basically, thanks to Gen Z, knockoffs have been rebranded.

Read more: Why'd They Do That? 6 Big Brand Name Changes that Baffled Consumers

This rise in popularity of buying cheaper alternatives to high-end products and sharing finds online shows a “generational shift in the consumption of goods”. The idea of a ‘good bargain’ from smaller, less mainstream brands now far outweighs (in terms of ‘street’ value) its branded high-end counterpart. 

If a brand has been ‘duped’, 47% of UK consumers see the original brand in a more popular light, too - a.k.a “it’s so popular its been duped”.

The rise in popularity of dupes, especially with Gen Z, can be linked to five economic and social trends: the Cost of Living Crisis, the Pandemic, the quick turnover of social media trends, the addiction to fast fame, and the allure of illusion.

Read more: Why are plants so popular with Gen Z?

1. Cost of Living Crisis 
The Cost of Living Crisis has meant that not a lot of consumers, especially Gen Z, have disposable income. 51% of UK consumers have bought dupes directly because of the Cost of Living Crisis. 

2. Pandemic 
During the pandemic, purchasing luxury products were not a priority. People began investing less in luxury products, with even 52% of UK millionaires purchasing dupes.

“Many of them witnessed the 2008 recession as children, before living through Covid and the current economic downturn. They are spending differently since the pandemic.”
Walker Post, Senior Strategist at DoSomething Strategic

3. Quick trend turnover 
Thanks to the social media, trends are coming and going faster than ever. If Gen Z were to purchase the high-end brand for every trend, they would run out of money pretty quickly. With micro-trends becoming an even bigger deal now, too, for underpaid college grads, keeping up with the trends is near impossible without dupes.

Read more: Every Major Craze of the Last 100 Years

4. Fast fame 
“I’ve found the perfect dupe!” Content creators and TikTokers are finding their fame fast by sharing their dupe finds online. This social movement is a gateway to instant fame, with dupe content skyrocketing many micro-influencers to TikTok stardom overnight.

Being a fashion or beauty influencer is no longer about curating designer wardrobes or skincare routines, but rather being a part of an authentic social movement by sharing products that are more accessible for all economic demographics.

5. The allure of illusions
As far back as Ancient Greece, optical illusions have always caught our imagination. Now, with AI becoming more accessible (the illusion of humanity) and other social media illusion trends (the ‘Is it Cake?’ hyper-realistic cake art trend, for example), dupes are just another branch of this fascination with illusions. 

Part of the appeal of dupes (other than their price) is the intrigue of how a product is a dupe. There is an air of disbelief around the products where we need to find out how good they really are - making dupes the perfect short-form content for TikTok.

The darker side of dupes

Even though the idea of a dupe is being open and honest about what it is (or, what it isn’t), there is, unfortunately, a darker side to dupe culture.

1. Dupes are harmful to small independent brands 
When big global designer brands are being duped (think Chanel, Gucci, Nike), the general consensus is that it is less damaging because dupes make up a comparatively small share of the market, and there will always be people wanting to buy the genuine article. 

However, if dupes of small independent brands are purchased instead, it’s ultimately ‘stealing’ the sale from a brand that relies on every purchase to survive. 

2. Health & safety concerns 
Even though many dupes are from reputable brands, with the rise of online fast-fashion e-commerce stores like Temu and Wish, there are health and safety concerns with unregulated products, particularly electricals and cosmetics.

3. Supporting counterfeit crime 
For some, dupes are just  ‘a celebration of unchecked plagiarism’. There’s a real issue of counterfeit crime online, and there’s the argument that dupes are an extension of this.

4. Celebrating fast fashion 
Dupes exist primarily to help consumers keep up with trends, and if these are fashion dupes, they also sadly support fast fashion.

The textile industry already contributes more to climate change than aviation and shipping combined and causes 20% of industrial water pollution. With the rise in popularity of fashion dupes, these are inadvertently promoting fast fashion.

5. Quality sacrifice
Even though dupes may largely look and feel the same as the original, their lower price tag usually means that they’re not as good quality as the product they’re duping. If you opt for the branded product, you’re not only buying the product but also its reputation, quality materials and product longevity. By purchasing a dupe instead, you’re sacrificing the quality of a well-and-tested brand.

How are brands incorporating dupes into their marketing strategies

With a dark side to dupes forever rearing its ugly head, the question remains as to whether brands should even be considering using dupes in their marketing campaigns. 

We’ve taken a deep dive into 4 big brands that have incorporated dupes into their marketing strategies with varying levels of success.

1. Lululemon leggings: ‘Dupe Swap’ 
Lululemon embraced dupes of its popular $98 Align tights by allowing consumers to exchange them in-store for the real thing. This viral ‘dupe swap’ campaign’s hashtag #lululemondupes got more than 150million hits. 

“It felt like a very fun way to step into a cultural conversation,” said the Lululemon chief brand officer, Nikki Neuburger.

“Part of why we had total confidence doing that is because we really do know our products are the best; and if you try them, we felt folks would have that sensory ‘Aha’ moment.”
Nikki Neuburger, Lululemon’s Chief Brand Officer

And the results speak for themselves, with 50% of the more than 1,000 people who came to the swap being completely new customers – with half of them under the age of 30.

2. Heinz: ‘Even when it isn’t, it has to be’
Heinz launched its Ketchup Fraud campaign last year where it showed restaurants refilling Heinz ketchup bottles with ketchup dupes. Paired with the slogan, “Even when it isn’t Heinz, it has to be Heinz”, this was Heinz’s playful take on dupe culture. 

3. McVities: ‘There’s Only One’
McVities have labelled themselves as one of the True Originals when it comes to biscuits thanks to their ‘There’s Only One’ campaign. The campaign aimed to remind the nation that McVities is the best biscuit around and not to confuse it with the many biscuit dupes that are on the market.

4. Olaplex: ‘Oladupe’
Olaplex’s Oladupe campaign reached new heights in the dupe game with Olaplex creating a fictional dupe of their bestselling haircare product.

In their campaign, they hired 100 influencers to unbox their Oladupe product, to highlight that the only brand worthy of being its dupe is Olaplex itself. 

Just days after launching, the hashtag tied to the campaign, #Oladupe, had already gained over 5.5 million views. However, the only issue with this campaign is that customers began sharing actual dupe suggestions in the comments under the post.

“Imitation is the highest form of flattery, and I think what we wanted to do is really use this imitation, this discussion around dupes to really have fun with the fact that you can imitate us, but you can’t replicate us,” 
Charlotte Watson, Olaplex CMO

What your brand can learn from Gen Z’s dupe culture obsession

With the luxury brands above embracing dupes, it’s not all doom and gloom when it comes to incorporating the internet’s take on product deep fakes into your own marketing strategy. And there’s a lot your brand can learn from Gen Z’s obsession with dupe culture.

The joys of being part of a community 
Dupe culture champions being part of an online community. With influencers amassing insane followings from sharing their dupe finds, there’s a sense of comradeship and teamwork in hunting down a good dupe. Your brand can leverage this by joining in with the lighthearted dupe forage to engage and attract a new audience.

Read more: How to engage your Gen Z new starters

Highlighting popular products
Following social media dupe trends, such as what products are currently being duped, will help your brand pinpoint exactly what products (especially when it comes to merchandise) will be popular amongst employees and recipients.

The importance of authenticity 
Authenticity is key for attracting Gen Z. Dupes don’t pretend to be other brands, they’re authentic product caricatures. Gen Z appreciates this authenticity, which is something to keep in mind with your Gen Z marketing strategies.

Getting the price right 
The biggest reason for consumers purchasing dupes is the lower cost of the products compared to the originals. By following what dupes are popular and tracking their price points, you can see what your target demographic is willing to pay.

Read more: 5 Tactics for Making Your Products Look More Expensive

Shouting out small brands
When done right, creating a good dupe is an excellent tactic for small brands to attract a new audience. If taken up by an influencer with a high social media following, the small brand could theoretically out-sell and out-shine more well-known brands overnight.

The best sustainable promotional merchandise dupes

Heard your team gushing over a high street brand? 

Wish you had a magic ball to see what promotional products your team will love? 

Want to wow your Gen Z new starters with some quality merch products? 

Here are some of our favourite B2B promotional merchandise products that match the latest high street trends, which you can personalise with your company's logo and branding.

Whether you’re looking for some stationery staples or weather-worthy clothing, we’ve delved deep into our sustainable product range to provide you with the very best eco-friendly guilt-free dupes to some of our luxury products for that extra green kudos.

Read more: 14 sustainable giveaways to get REALLY excited about

1. Stationery

The original weekly planner

Moleskine 12 month weekly planner 
+ Has 70 g/m² ivory-coloured acid-free paper
+ Has a lot of space for notes with room for your week's appointments on the left and a ruled page for notes and ideas on the right
+ Has an expandable inner pocket for storage

The dupe weekly planner

Wellness journal
+ Encourages emotional wellbeing and a balance between work & home life
+ The cover material is 100% recycled office and post-industrial coffee cup waste and the paper inside is 100% recycled from post-consumer waste.
+ It includes a lot: self-reflection pages, day planner pages, 16 sides of dot grid pages, 17 plain pages, plus more! 

The original softcover notebook

Karst A5 softcover notebook
+ Has a durable and flexible vegan leather cover that’s waterproof 
+ Has 144 waterproof, tear-resistant lined pages
+ Has an expandable back pocket

The dupe softcover notebook

Torino A5 casebound notebook
+ Has a matte velvet touch vegan cover 
+ Is made to order in the UK in a choice of 20 colours
+ Part of a Tree Aid Scheme (trees are planted in improvised areas of Africa for food, jobs, and a sustainable future for local communities)

The original fountain pen

Waterman Expert fountain pen
+ A classic, iconic design
+ The epitome of sophistication 
+ Comes in a gift box

The dupe fountain pen

Da Vinci Lucerne fountain pen
+ Chrome with a luxurious gold-plated finish
+ Comes in a padded gift box
+ Branded to the barrel 

2. Self-care

The original bath gift set 

Wellmark just relax 3-piece bath salt gift set
+ Made from bath salts from the Dead Sea
+ Each bottle has a different scent: Roses, Lavender and Camomile. 
+ Made in the Netherlands

The dupe bath gift set 

The little brown tube me-time relaxing kit
+ Presented in a cardboard tube
+ Includes a sleep balm, sleep mask and a bath bomb
+ Every item can be branded 

The original handsoap

Wellmark bubbles 500 ml hand soap dispenser
+ A stylish glass soap dispenser
+ Vegan 
+ Can be easily refilled 

The dupe handsoap

The little brown tube me-time relaxing kit
+ Presented in a cardboard tube
+ Includes a sleep balm, sleep mask and a bath bomb
+ Every item can be branded 

The original candle

Pomelo-scented 3-wick candle
+ Hand-poured 475g eco-soy wax
+ Has 30 hours + of burn time
+ 100% of the profits of this candle are given to projects supporting women affected by domestic violence or reinvested in the business.

The dupe candle

Keops large plant-based wax candle
+ Presented in a cardboard tube
+ Includes a sleep balm, sleep mask and a bath bomb
+ Every item can be branded 

3. Outdoor clothing

The original fleece

North Face glacier fleece
+ Made with brushed, anti-pilling microfleece
+ It's crafted from 100% recycled polyester
+ Available plain stock only 

The dupe fleece

Amber women's GRS recycled fleece jacket
+ The inner storm flap with a chin guard provides extra protection against the elements
+ Made from 174 g/m² GRS certified recycled polyester, it’s the perfect balance between warmth and lightness
+ It’s the perfect fusion between style and functionality.

The original lightweight jacket

Patagonia women's Quandary jacket
+ It’s waterproof and breathable 
+ It’s made with a strong yet lightweight and quick-drying fabric blend
+ With its Fair Trade Certified™ sewn credentials, it’s  the ideal ethical workwear garment

The dupe lightweight jacket

Iqoniq Logan recycled polyester lightweight jacket
+ Made from 100% post-consumer recycled polyester 
+ The back of the jacket is slightly longer and curved with an elastic string and stoppers for better protection in the wind  
+ 2% of proceeds of each sold product will be donated to Water.org

4. Tech

The original powerbank

Urban Vitamin Malibu RCS plastic/alu 5000 mAh powerbank
+ Has lightning-fast 15W charging
+ The design automatically initiates charging the moment it's attached
+ Made with RCS (Recycled Claim Standard) certified recycled aluminium and ABS

The dupe powerbank

Wee Pal 2.0
+ Made from 100% post-consumer recycled polyester 
+ The back of the jacket is slightly longer and curved with an elastic string and stoppers for better protection in the wind  
+ 2% of proceeds of each sold product will be donated to Water.org

The original wireless charger

Philips 10W Qi wireless charger
+ Has an LED indicator 
+ Charges your phone twice as fast as most other wireless chargers
+ Comes in a Philips gift box

The dupe wireless charger

Atra 10W bamboo magnetic wireless charging pad
+ Bamboo charging pad 
+ Delivered in a sustainable gift box
+ Compatible with all Qi devices (iPhone 8 or above and Android devices that support wireless charging)

5. Homeware

The original blanket

Vinga Verso blanket
+ Has a subtle geometric pattern 
+ Is made from a synthetic material that is easy to keep clean
+ It’s designed to mimic wool fibre 

The dupe blanket

HARMONY All Seasons cloth
+ A soft and stylish fabric with a trendy pattern
+ The cloth is handmade by women in a small Turkish village 
+ Multi-purpose: beautiful as a shawl, warm blanket on the sofa or as a luxurious (hammam) cloth.

6. Outdoor accessories

The original backpack

Herschel Little America backpack
+ An iconic style
+ Has a modern functionality
+ Available plain stock only

The dupe backpack

Impact Aware recycled canvas backpack
+ A recycled canvas backpack
+ 2% of the proceeds of each backpack sold will be donated to Water.org
+ Made from 60% recycled cotton and 40% recycled polyester

The original laptop backpack

North Face Vault backpack
+ Has a slim profile, making commuting easier
+ The main compartment has space for your laptop in a protective sleeve
+ Available plain stock only

The dupe laptop backpack

Impact Aware RPET water-resistant 15.6" laptop backpack
+ An inner pocket with a laptop compartment stows laptops securely and safely 
+ Each bag is made from reused 18 0.5L PET bottles
+ The exterior and interior are made with 100% recycled polyester 

7. Drinkware

The original tumbler

Stanley Quencher H2.0 1200 ml tumbler
+ Has a slim profile, making commuting easier
+ The main compartment has space for your laptop in a protective sleeve
+ Available plain stock only

The dupe tumbler

Impact Aware RPET water-resistant 15.6" laptop backpack
+ An inner pocket with a laptop compartment stows laptops securely and safely 
+ Each bag is made from reused 18 0.5L PET bottles
+ The exterior and interior are made with 100% recycled polyester 

The original insulated mug

North Face Vault backpack
+ Has a slim profile, making commuting easier
+ The main compartment has space for your laptop in a protective sleeve
+ Available plain stock only

The dupe insulated mug

Impact Aware RPET water-resistant 15.6" laptop backpack
+ An inner pocket with a laptop compartment stows laptops securely and safely 
+ Each bag is made from reused 18 0.5L PET bottles
+ The exterior and interior are made with 100% recycled polyester 

To dupe or not to dupe?

The great dupe migration from luxury brand names to cheaper imitations doesn’t look like it’s going to slow down anytime soon. 

With consumers still dealing with the Cost of Living Crisis and reeling from the aftermath of the pandemic, having disposable income to spend isn’t in shoppers’ budgets for the foreseeable future. 

With this in mind, it’s about learning how to dupe responsibly. 

Ask yourself, is the dupe sustainable, or a piece of fast fashion? Is it from a small, independent business or an e-commerce giant? Is it likely to last, or will it break after a few uses? 

By duping responsibly, your brand can minimise the darker side of dupe culture, whilst still enjoying the joy of finding a good deal. 

That’s why the only dupes we’ll suggest are from sustainable brands that are doing good, wherever they can. 

It’s predicted that Gen Z’s income will soon surpass that of previous generations. It’s hoped that with this there’ll be a shift away from cheap alternatives. With their strong focus on environmental issues at the forefront of their generational identity, let’s hope their shopping preferences will align more with their environmental moral compass. 

But until then, we hope you dupe responsibly. 

Interested in how you can apply other product media trends to your next campaign? Let us help you energise and reinvigorate your brand today with all the latest in promotional merchandise trend analysis.

Are you ready to get trending?