Doppelgänger brand image

A doppelgänger brand image is a parody logo or narrative intended to highlight ethical issues regarding the product advertised.

They are commonly associated with the brand's lack of authenticity, and most are created as a form of individual protest, either posted digitally on social media, or displayed as physical graffiti.

A 2012 study concluded that doppelgänger brand images were able to negatively affect sales, because they created a perception of mistrust in the minds of the customers.

[1] A 2006 study concluded that doppelgängers have an impact on the emotional brand image of a brand.

[2] In a 2006 paper, Craig J. Thompson, Aric Rindfleisch and Zeynep Arsel suggest that doppelgänger brand images are a sign that "an emotional-branding story is beginning to lose its cultural resonance" and can be useful as a warning symptom.