Full credit goes to TygerTyger of Vaporjoes Canada for making such an eloquent argument.
THE HARD COPY:
It's an argument that
never seems to go away. Some love them, some hate them. Some claim they
fill a necessary place within the market and community, others contend
they hurt authentic producers. They've been called Clones, Replicas,
Knock-Offs, Copies.... and most recently, Counterfeits.
One thing is certain,
time hasn't taken the edge off of the debate. Recent events have once
again spotlighted the heated exchanges and even vitriol that both sides
of the issue are capable of.
We took the debate straight to the dictionary....
coun·ter·feit
ˈkountərˌfit/
adjective 1. made in exact imitation of something valuable or important with the intention to deceive or defraud.
noun 1. a fraudulent imitation of something else; a forgery.
verb 1. imitate fraudulently.
Upon examination of the
dictionary definition, it becomes abundantly clear that any usage of the
word counterfeit includes the idea of deception-- that something is
being passed off as something it isn't. Thus, it's utterly inaccurate to
refer to a mod regardless of where it is made, who it is made by, or
how it looks, as a counterfeit unless that mod is being represented as
authentic in an attempt to deceive.
We're not talking about
trademarks here. However, in the all too common instance of a
royalty-free or possibly not legally licensed image being usurped by a
mod maker to adorn their wares, they haven't a leg to stand on if
another manufacturer uses the same image. (The only person with a
legitimate complaint in these instances is the original, uncompensated
artist!)
We're also not defending unscrupulous sellers who would take a replica and pass it off to an
unsuspecting buyer as authentic. That's fraud, plain and simple. There
is no defense for being a shyster.
However, to slap the
"counterfeit" label on a copy or replica that is being represented as
such is not merely misleading, it's a ploy to create negative knee-jerk
reactions among readers or listeners. It's a term designed to elicit
shock and outrage, but are those reactions justified?
Let's face it folks, for
the most part, we're talking about metal tubes with different
decorating. Those who appreciate and desire authentics should seek them
out and enjoy them-- but that doesn't give anyone the right to dictate
how others spend their money. That's where enthusiasm crosses the line
to elitism. When did a good vape become a luxury reserved for a
privileged few?
What about devices with a
great deal more ingenuity involved... like say, Zen's ZNA? Most readers
are aware that the ZNA has been cloned. Is Zen lawyering up to file law
suits and vilify those who would dare stock, purchase or use one? In
fact, Zen has taken a very different and rational response to the
situation:
"We live in a global
economy. We have to embrace change. For those of you that feel they have
stolen my design, it is true... they have... but the important thing
about being in this industry is that devices like this save lives by
helping people free themselves of their dependency on cigarettes and
combustible tobacco." (Read more HERE.)
Zen isn't stupid. He's
well aware that his is the superior product... but he's also aware that
those with the clones may choose to accessorize with authentic Z2
threaded parts, and perhaps enjoy the device so much they save up for
the real McCoy.
Even zArrAs, producer of
the Gaia, has seen the writing on the wall and is choosing to move
forward instead of paddling against the current. When a large overseas
retailer started stocking clones of his work, he came in with this
comment: "Thank you" for cloning my design & mod... for advertising my brand 'zArrAs' ..." (Read more HERE.)
zArrAs seems to understand well what VaporJoes Network has known for a
long time; There's no such thing as bad press. Thanks to the clones, a
lot more people know about zArrAs, and the Gaia mechanical mod.
We've heard the tired
argument time and again that clones hurt original modders, but it
doesn't make any more sense the 500th time than it did the first. Those
who value authentics do so because of the quality. They won't be
satisfied with a cheap knock off, and won't be swayed from purchasing
authentic. Those that choose a copy would never have paid for a
$200-$300 mod without already knowing they're going to love it. In fact,
many clone owners find a design they fall in love with and it gives
them the desire to own a real version.... leading to a sale for an
original modder that wouldn't have existed if not for the clone market.
It's time to take a step
back and stop missing the forest for the trees, folks. We need to adopt
the thinking of leaders like Zen, zArrAs and others who realize that
it's less important what you're vaping on, than that you're vaping.
