Go Ahead: Steal This Headline
Kal Raustiala of UCLA Says Imitation Breeds Innovation
Why do Angelenos spend $16 for a ticket to the ArcLight cinema to see a movie they can download for free? Why does the Kogi truck keep making money on fusion tacos even though imitations have sprung up all across town? And, why do high-end fashion designers keep profiting even after Forever 21 produces knockoffs of their top outfits? According to UCLA legal scholar Kal Raustiala, coauthor of The Knockoff Economy: How Imitation Sparks Innovation, these are all examples of how copycats and imitators–legal and illegal–not only fail to hurt …
