PRODUCT ANTI-PLACEMENT

If  design houses hate you-- you STILL can be gifted by them!

We plead:

Versace:  Hate us!

Louis Vuitton:  Hate us!

Miu Miu:  Hate us!

Gucci:  Hate us!

Hermes:  Hate us!

Marc Jacobs:  Hate us!

Chanel:  Hate us!

Cartier:  Hate us!

Bulgari:  Hate us!

Ralph Lauren:  Hate us!

DSquared:  Hate us!

Dolce&Gabbana:  Hate us!

Tech Dirt reports:

......some luxury brand companies are experimenting with product anti-placement. That is, they're sending their competitors' products to celebrities who they think will create a negative association with the brand. The example used in the article is that rather infamous reality TV star Snooki:

Allegedly, the anxious folks at these various luxury houses are all aggressively gifting our gal Snookums with free bags. No surprise, right? But here's the shocker: They are not sending her their own bags. They are sending her each other's bags! Competitors' bags!

Call it what you will -- "preemptive product placement"? "unbranding"? -- either way, it's brilliant, and it makes total sense. As much as one might adore Miss Snickerdoodle, her ability to inspire dress-alikes among her fans is questionable. The bottom line? Nobody in fashion wants to co-brand with Snooki.

As CHT notes, one of these days, this is going to create quite the fascinating trademark question. If Louis Vuitton is sending out Prada purses to anti-celebrities, could you make an argument for trademark infringement? I wouldn't put it past one of the luxury brands to try to come up with a novel legal theory to try...