Bloggers have always been cutting edge creatives with fresh ideas and amazing artistic talents.  Many bloggers started blogging as an outlet for their ideas and projects, wanting to showcase their originality and ingenuity and inspire their readers to do the same.  Over time the creative blogging community has become so much more.

Bloggers' project ideas and designs are now what set trends and influence consumer opinions. They are no longer sharing their personal creativity, but instead have become digital influencers. Therefore  it should come as no surprise that frequently large retail stores and commercial brands use bloggers' ideas (sometimes identically) for their own products.

There are countless cases where this has happened (it has even happened to me) and so I'm sharing some examples to demonstrate how prevalent it really is.

Original Projects Duplicated Without Permission In Retail Store

This was one of my most popular pallet wood signs.  I came up with the idea of the little Christmas light stars after seeing it done on a piece of canvas art.  I featured it on my Christmas mantel back in 2013.

Having your projects replicated (and profited on) by a brand or store is NOT FLATTERING.  It is theft.  And sadly, it is not unusual. There are too many example to count, these are just a few: 

Etsy


Some other examples include:

• Mandi from Vintage Revivals and Target
•  Kiki & Company and Target
•  Etsy Seller Melissa Lay and Target 
• Winnebago Diaries and Target
• Mommy Needs a Cocktail and Target
• ModFire and Target
• Peaches & Keen and Target

• James Soares and Urban Outfitters
• Etsy Sellers and Urban Outfitters

• Dozens of Graphic Artists and Zara
• MommyGyver and LulaRoe
• SugarHero and Food Network
• Lisa Congdon and Cody&Foster (West Elm, Nieman Marcus)

   

If you are a blogger and have had a project or design duplicated (uncredited and without your permission) I’d love to add it to this post.  You can submit your project HERE.