Why Copying Could Be a Way Forward for Small Businesses in Ethiopia

I recently came across a post on LinkedIn criticizing the prevalence of mock-up brand names in Ethiopia. He raised some valid points about the importance of originality in branding and its impact on customer trust. While I agree with some of his arguments: could copying, often dismissed as a negative, actually be a practical strategy for small businesses in Ethiopia to gain a foothold in competitive markets?

Copying isn’t just a business strategy; it’s the foundation of life itself, deeply rooted in how we learn and adapt. From infancy, humans and animals alike depend on imitation to survive and grow—whether it’s a child learning to speak by mimicking parents or a lion cub mastering the hunt by shadowing its mother. This natural process of copying serves as a reminder that imitation is not a weakness but a stepping stone. It’s how we learn, grow, and eventually innovate. If nature itself thrives on imitation, why should we look down on it in business?

This same principle of imitation extends beyond individual learning and survival—it’s woven into the fabric of industries, economies, and cultures. Mock-ups, for instance, are a testament to how copying has been used as a strategy to build, compete, and eventually innovate in the business world.

China has utilized this strategy for decades, even after joining the World Trade Organization (WTO). Brands like Geely, BYD, and Lifan have copied huge global brands like Toyota, BMW, and Mercedes. Even smaller brands copy Nike as ‘Nikie’ or Adidas as ‘Abidas’ or Under Armour as 'Uncle Martin.'

Interestingly, Chinese companies also copy other Chinese brands, such as Geepas being copied as Geepus. The Asian economic powerhouse has even gone as far as replicating entire towns from Europe, including a small town complete with a replica of the Eiffel Tower. While these replications might seem unrelated to business, they highlight China’s strategic approach: creating familiarity and leveraging recognizable symbols to attract interest, whether in tourism or consumer goods. This same principle can be applied to branding strategies, where imitation often serves as a bridge to developing unique offerings.

Over time, Chinese brands have become more independent in design and unique brand names. Just look at their cars and electronics now. For instance, the Chinese carmaker BYD found success in copying. More than a decade ago, during a Bloomberg interview, Elon Musk laughed at BYD. Today, he views BYD as a peer competitor. In fact, in late 2023, BYD temporarily surpassed Tesla in quarterly electric vehicle (EV) sales, becoming the world's top-selling EV manufacturer until Tesla regained its position as the leading EV seller in the first quarter of 2024.

Russia, still a member of the WTO, offers another compelling example. Following Western sanctions, Russian companies began imitating and recreating Western brands to fill gaps in domestic markets. This shows how imitation can act as a temporary bridge, addressing immediate market demands while laying the groundwork for independent growth.

So Why Are Western Nations Accusing Other Countries of ‘Stealing’ Intellectual Property?

The short answer is competition. Western nations, in their usual fashion, do not take kindly to competition—especially from peer competitors like China. They want domination. However, if we look back at their own history, they are far from clean and have done the same things they accuse other countries of doing.

The truth is, no country has succeeded without copying others. Japan copied the EU and America. China and India learned from their own history and from Western nations. Nations in Europe have, at some point, copied from other European and non-Western nations, whether through joint ventures, reverse engineering, or hiring skilled engineers from established companies. The U.S. followed a similar path, blatantly stealing intellectual property (IP) from Europe to industrialize. In fact, American leaders not only encouraged IP piracy but also patented stolen technologies. There’s historical evidence to back this claim—even the West’s own History Channel published an article in 2019 on the topic.

How Copying Drives Innovation Globally

Facebook drew inspiration from various platforms, incorporating features such as the profile page from MySpace, the "Like" button from Digg, and photo sharing from Flickr. However, what distinguishes the Western approach to copying is that they don’t simply replicate the exact names or logos as mock-ups like we often see with Chinese and other companies. Instead, they refine and adapt these concepts, offering unique twists and more cohesive user experiences that align with their brand identity and user needs.

Social media platforms often replicate each other’s features. Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts are direct copies of TikTok, while Meta’s Threads closely imitates X (formerly Twitter), right down to the use of the term "threads," which Twitter popularized, prompting a 2023 lawsuit from X. Meanwhile, Elon Musk aims to turn X into a ‘SuperApp’ inspired by China’s WeChat, blending messaging, payments, and social networking. These examples show how tech companies copy successful ideas to stay competitive.

In these copying battles, Western nations have the advantage of established systems and resources, which allows them to rebrand and refine ideas without relying on mock-up names. However, the underlying principle remains the same, building on what already works.

Far from stifling progress, these examples highlight how imitation can act as a catalyst for transformation. By adopting and building upon other companies' and countries' ingenuity, many countries, including the Western world, achieved advancements that would define modernity. The same principle holds true for Ethiopian businesses today: copying isn’t the endgame—it’s the beginning of innovation.

Ethiopian Success Stories Born from Imitation

Building strong local brands is undoubtedly important. However, some of the businesses being criticized for imitating others are already thriving examples of homegrown success. Consider "Enjoy Burger," which initially operated under the name "In-N-Out" until a legal dispute was raised by the American company. Although I am against this kind of obvious copying using the exact name and logo of other known global brands, which might mislead customers, using similar names and brand colors could be an effective way to grab customer attention. Today, Enjoy Burger boasts more than 11 outlets, mostly in the capital, Addis Ababa.

Kaldi's Coffee followed a similar path, initially adopting recognizable branding but gradually evolving its colors and styles. Today, it has expanded to 38 branches across the country.

In addition, some of the architectural designs seen at Entoto Park, for example, are mock-ups inspired by Singaporean styles. The individuals behind these projects didn’t focus on creating something entirely unique but instead learned how to replicate the designs. As they gain the necessary skills, there's a high chance they will be able to create their own original designs, contributing to the development of a unique local architectural identity in the future.

Ultimately, while imitation of international brands may provide a shortcut to growth, it’s essential to nurture and protect local innovation. Just as we enforce rules against exam cheating to uphold integrity in education, safeguarding local brands and intellectual property is critical for creating a fair and thriving business environment in Ethiopia.

For small businesses in Ethiopia, imitation can be a practical and strategic choice. It provides an entry point into competitive markets while saving on the costs of developing entirely original models. More importantly, it creates room for learning and growth, paving the way for innovation. 

Copying isn’t a sign of weakness; it’s a step in the journey toward independence. By encouraging this approach, we can foster an environment where local businesses grow stronger and eventually become innovators in their own right.