Bootlegged Classicbot
"Spotted in a Korean store: a Bluetooth speaker that looks suspiciously like our beloved Classicbot Classic—just taller, and with zero permission. We’ve always been proud of inspiring nostalgia. But apparently, we now inspire unauthorized product lines." shared Philip Lee of @classicbot_toy
...It also looks worse without my attention to detail. But they seem to be selling in many places, online and offline. I am considering taking legal action. Any advice is welcome. I am mad, but a bit flattered and fascinated. 🥲 Being an independent artist is tough." added Philip Lee.
"Spotted in a Korean store: a Bluetooth speaker that looks suspiciously like our beloved Classicbot Classic—just taller, and with zero permission."
— toysrevil (@toysrevil) May 25, 2025
Bootlegged #Classicbot (Featured on #TOYSREVIL: https://t.co/JgPKlWkUrq)
What would YOU do? pic.twitter.com/nsxd9mvScx
"Bootleggery of Toys" is nothing new, with the myriad unlicensed clones of KAWS and LABUBUs, and oft times a ironic boomerang riff-off of licensed pop culture characters (witness Bart Simpsons, Mickeys and Teletubbies et al), and in this particular instance, of an independent toy-producer, of a character design which in turn inspired by a classic Apple desktop.
Only just, I unboxed a wannabe-LABUBU-figure not from Pop Mart, but obviously a direct rip (so I assume), and in a different size too. Where does it all end? And where does it begin in the first place?
But what is oft happening - thru the years, in fact - are "adoption" of toy forms for technical appliances, most times "speakers" - one prime example (featured before on TOYSREVIL) being Monster Speakers vs Headphonies, and honestly a number of more seen in local shops through the years I have not specifically blogged about.
How do we address this tho? Does making a toy design into some other functional item, make it "all right" to do so? And while it is the intellectual property of (once trademakred or copyrighted internationally), there is still the cost and effort of litigation involved, whenever someone mentions "sue them", innit? Sometimes I ask (in my mind): "Litigation" or "Collaboration"? After "Confrontation", of course...?
Would adding a sticker (with the orginal product design info) to the display box of the bootleg (cost of course borne by the bootleggers) help in any way to mitigate something that already has been made, in lieu of recalling the items? Would be fascinating to see the next project done beinbg a collaborative new design ... LOL ... wishful imaginations in my corner of thy mindscape, of course...
What woukld YOU do? Both as a fellow creator, and a consumer?
