The problem Dyson has with Chinese whispers
January 20th, 2012
The thing with Chinese whispers is that the final story heard aloud is often bizarrely different from the first secret version. Due to the act of copying, the story becomes corrupted. In the case of Sir James Dyson, the inventor of the protectively-patented Dyson vacuums, Chinese-made copycat versions of his products are critically undermining his business.
Throughout 2011 the inventor has appealed to the UK Government, who he acts as a technical advisor for, to help him contest the Chinese copycats. Last month, Dyson’s efforts culminated in spending millions of pounds fighting design theft in Chinese courts.
Now, timed with the UK unveiling of four new products, Dyson is asking consumers to tell the difference between the original Dyson and the Chinese whisper. The new “Disappearing Parts” advert attacks the copycats.
The four new products use patented Dyson Ball technology. As the entire ball rotates, the compact D38 and D39 are highly maneuverable. The upright upright models, D40 and D41, use a similar idea but the cyclone system sits on top of the Ball.
Dyson D38 and D39
Dyson Ball D40 and D41
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