19 per cent of Danes have copies of Danish design in their homes and another 19 per cent are considering buying copies in the near future. The ‘Støt Originalt Dansk Design’ (Support original Danish design) campaign wants to change that.
The internet is flooded with cheap knock-off products that, combined with social media ideals and feelings of fomo, entice consumers to compromise on quality, safety and the uniqueness that characterises the real thing. This trend is particularly evident when Danes buy design products.
19 per cent of Danes have copies of Danish designer furniture or lamps in their homes, according to a new consumer survey conducted by Norstat for the Rights Alliance. The survey also shows that 8 per cent of Danes have bought copies of Danish designer furniture or lamps within the past five years, and 19 per cent are considering buying copies within the next two years.
Støt Originalt Dansk Design
With a new awareness campaign, the Rights Alliance wants to show the value of original Danish design in a world where so much is fake. We do this by highlighting a dilemma that characterises the time and consumption of design copies: Although no one wants to feel fake, fakes and copies have become a common part of our society – a fast track to the good life. It also affects our consumption, where many fall into buying copies rather than original Danish design products.
The campaign ‘Støt Originalt Dansk Design’ will show the value of original Danish design. For the sake of the Danish design industry, but also for the individual consumer. Choosing original design products is about protecting the design profession, which is an important part of the Danish DNA, and about looking after your own health and safety. At the same time, the consumption of design copies is also a challenge in relation to the green transition, as copies are illegal to resell and thus contribute negatively to the use-and-throw-away culture – unlike genuine design, which can provide lifelong pleasure for several generations.
The campaign launches on Monday 7 October and runs until 27 October on social media. See the campaign on Instagram, Facebook og LinkedIn.
What the industry says about the campaign
Maria Fredenslund, CEO of the Rights Alliance
“With ‘Støt Originalt Dansk Design’ we encourage Danes to choose original Danish design over copies. We want to support creativity and protect our unique design heritage, and explain why rights are important and must be respected. Copying damages the entire Danish design industry by undermining brands and companies that have taken years to establish and has serious consequences for the designers who see their life’s work lost. I hope the campaign will make many more people think about why buying copies is a bad idea and how important it is to protect the rights and creativity that underpin Danish design.”
Hans Henrik Sørensen, owner of Onecollection
“When you choose to buy original Danish design, you are not only supporting and safeguarding a cultural heritage. You can also be sure that you’re getting a piece of furniture that has been produced under ethical and environmentally responsible conditions and in a quality that will last for generations. Buying original furniture is the only responsible thing to do, but it’s also a great investment. Finn Juhl’s furniture is characterised by curved shapes and intricate, delicate details, so for us, it’s not difficult to distinguish between the cheap copies, but that doesn’t stop us from regretting that there is a market for it. We hope the campaign will raise awareness of the many harmful effects of buying fake furniture.”
Lawyer Claus Barrett Christiansen, Partner at Bech-Bruun and Chairman of the Board of Dreyers Fond
“Danish design is part of Danish culture and is something that Denmark is known for around the world. If we don’t protect Danish design and create a consensus that it’s not okay to buy copies of something that others have the rights to and have worked hard and skilfully to create, the Danish design tradition will die out. At Dreyers Fond, we support many projects that focus on the promotion and protection of Danish design and architecture, and it is uplifting when so many good forces like this form a common front against copies.”
Peter M. Metcalfe, Creative Director at The Unicorn
“We currently live in a world full of things that aren’t quite what they seem; everything from fake news to fake lips to artificial intelligence fills our lives and everyday life. And so it made sense to bring true Danish design into that context – a kind of tangible and tactile anchor in a world that is anything but. We believe that the cultural contrast between the two worlds helps to get the Rights Alliance’s message out there and create understanding among those who might consider buying copies of Danish design.”
Hanne Brøbech Sønnichsen, Chairperson of Danish Crafts & Design Association
“At Danish Crafts & Design Association we are pleased that the campaign ‘Støt Originalt Dansk Design’ focuses on a very relevant issue. We work every day to raise awareness of unique products within crafts and design, create stories about the qualities of the area and protect our members’ rights and conditions. In recent years, we have unfortunately witnessed some serious cases of plagiarism where artisans and designers have been plagiarised. That’s why we believe it’s important to motivate consumers to make the right choices and support the original article.”
The facts
In collaboration with the research agency Norstat, the Rights Alliance has conducted a study that uncovers the population’s consumption of copies of classic Danish designer furniture and lamps.
The main results of the analysis:
- 19% of Danes have copies of Danish design in their homes
- 8% of Danes have bought copies of Danish design within the last five years
- 19% of Danes expect to buy copies of Danish design within the next two years
- 24% of Danes do not know that it is illegal to resell copies of Danish design
Data was collected by Norstat in September 2024 and is based on responses from 1,520 respondents.
Download the full survey here.
Press contact
Tina Schütz Bonnichsen
Project Manager at the Rights Alliance
Tel. 41412093
Mail: tina.bonnichsen@rettighedsalliancen.dk
Read more about the campaign and find press material here (Danish)
The campaign is launched by the Rights Alliance with support from Dreyers Fond, Træets Uddannelses- og Udviklingsfond, the Danish Ministry of Culture, UBVA (Akademikerne), and Træ- og Møbelindustrien.
The campaign is developed in collaboration with The Unicorn.
