united-states consumer-protection commerce is-x-legal competition
Is it legal to make two competing brands of the same product without making the public aware of the common source?
<p>Suppose I create rocket boots and brand them as "Super Jumpers". After a couple months of selling them, I stealthily create a new brand of rocket boots called "Mega Fliers".</p>

<p>I do not publicly reveal them as created by the same person or corporation, and perhaps I even market them with improvements I intentionally left out of the original boots.</p>

<p>Would this alone be illegal, or only under certain conditions? For example, if I had a monopoly on rocket boots, if I was inflating prices, or if using other consumer manipulation to make them purchase more of both.</p>

<p>You mean like <a href="https://www.unilever.com.au/brands/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Unilever</a>, and countless others do?</p>

<p><strong>Yes.</strong></p>

<p>Many, many companies control a stable of brands, often of competing products. This is particularly prevalent in grocery lines (cleaning, food, beauty products) and motor vehicles (there are dozens of brands of motor vehicle but only a handful of automotive companies). Clearly, these products have different features (improvements) – you are entitled to segment your market anyway you like.</p>

<p>If they are actually produced by the same company, keeping that secret would be virtually impossible. If they were separate companies (even with licencing agreements etc.), well, they are not the same company even if they have common ownership.</p>

<p>As for having a monopoly: if you hold a patent you are <em>allowed</em> to have a monopoly, if you don't, expect to see knock-off rocket boots on the shelf in a week.</p>
