Should You Call Out Your Copycat on Social Media? It's a splashy way to defend your company, but can it actually help protect it?
By Stephanie Schomer •
First there was Chillhouse. Then there was Chillology. And then things were not chill. It started with Cyndi Ramirez-Fulton, founder and CEO of Chillhouse, which is a Manhattan-based "new-age spa." The company has attracted more than 100,000 Instagram followers who love its modern aesthetic and self-care ethos. In October, one of those followers alerted Ramirez-Fulton to another brand's account — and it looked eerily similar to Chillhouse's.
This other account was for a different self-care destination, called Chillology. It copied specific Chillhouse posts and captions; its products, services, and packaging showed alarming overlap; and the marketing for a Chillhouse pop-up at Miami Beach's Art Basel was being used to promote Chillology in New York, the only tweak being the variation in brand name and a lower quality in execution.
Memorial Day Sale - Save 20%! Unlock this premium article & so much more with Entrepreneur+
Join the internet’s leading entrepreneur community with our Memorial Day sale! With your subscription, you'll get:
- Digestible insight on how to be a better entrepreneur and leader
- Lessons for starting and growing a business from our expert network of CEOs and founders
- Meaningful content to help you make sharper decisions
- Business and life hacks to help you stay ahead of the curve
Use code SAVE20 at checkout.
