Once again, a story from China suggests that imitation is the highest form of flattery. First, it was copying Apple stores. Now, it’s copying an entire mall – and the most well-known American mall of all at that, the Mall of America. Well, at least the logo and creative. The Chinese mall appears to still be under construction, but if it is a copy of the entire mall, then I am sure the warmongers will come out requesting a swift response to this usurpation of American values and capitalism. You cannot steal what Americans value – America’s preeminent shopping venue for products made in China!
Photos appeared yesterday on the interweb of a Tianmen mall using the Mall of America’s logo and creative (with a few very subtle differences in the star’s colors), rebranded just a few months ago by Minnesota-based Duffy & Partners group. Check this out…
In a time where “thinking locally” is trendy, this is just one more example why it is more important than ever to think globally about your IP strategy.