Ugg Since 1974 vs Ugg: Explaining What’s ‘Real,’ What’s ‘Fake’ and How the Brand’s Origins Became TikTok’s Latest Obsession
There’s been some Ugg-related drama happening on social media recently, and some TikTokers have had a lot to say about the changes to the winter shoe staple.
If you’ve gone on the video-based social media platform in the last week, chances are your “For You” page has been flooded with people comparing their Uggs from the 2010s to newer purchases they’ve made in more recent years. Some creators have called out changes in quality and differences in design details over the years.
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But while the changes in design from the 2010s through today are minimal, the main difference that is confusing some consumers is the logo change for the boot maker, owned by Goleta, Calif.-based Deckers Brands. This has led some creators on TikTok to speculate that the updated Uggs of today, which have dropped the word “Australia” from the logo, are allegedly “fake” and that the “real” Uggs are sold by an Australian company named Ugg Since 1974. (As of this publication the hashtag #uggsince1974 has been viewed 26.4 million times on TikTok, while #uggaustralia has been viewed 21.2 million times.)
But this is not the case.
The Differences of Ugg vs. Ugg Since 1974
Amid the mounting confusion, Ugg Since 1974 company even issued its own explainer on its e-commerce site last week. In the post, the Australian company explores the differences between “Ugg” (owned by Deckers Brands) and “Ugg Since 1974.”
“Here at Ugg Since 1974, we’re often asked whether we are the same company as Ugg,” the Australian company’s post stated. “The answer is a resounding no (we are not related to Ugg in any way), but for those who aren’t across the Ugg story, it’s an easy mistake to make. We do not currently, nor have we ever, had an affiliation or relationship with Ugg.”
Asked for comment on the matter, Ugg parent company Deckers Brands reiterated its ownership of the “Ugg” trademark.
“Deckers Brands is the exclusive owner of the Ugg brand in the United States and worldwide in over 150 countries,” a company spokesperson told FN. “Deckers remains committed to vigorously enforcing its intellectual property rights to protect our consumers from being deceived into buying infringing products.”
Asked to comment regarding the alleged production quality claims some TikTokers have made online, the company spokesperson added that, “One of the Ugg brand pillars is product that is crafted to last. We are extremely proud of the materials we use, the innovation around new materials and the longevity of our products.”
A History of Trademark Lawsuits
The word “ugg” is commonly used in Australia as a catchall term for sheepskin boots lined with fleece. However, in the U.S., Australian entrepreneur Brian Smith registered the name as a brand in the 1980s, with court documents revealing that Deckers bought the name from Smith and trademarked “Ugg Australia” in 1995.
Since then, Deckers has consistently worked to uphold its Ugg trademarks. The Goleta, Calif.-based company, which merged with its Australian subsidiary Ugg Holdings in 2004, inherited a lawsuit that year versus footwear firm Koolaburra over the Ugg mark. The court said the Ugg mark was “extremely strong,” and ruled in favor of Deckers. Since the judgment, Deckers has “spent millions in advertising and promoting its Ugg mark,” according to company.
In 2010, the company sued Emu Australia Inc. and Emu (Aus.) Pty Ltd. seeking to stop Emu from using its trademarks. In the suit, Deckers alleged that Emu has intentionally misled consumers into believing they are buying a genuine Ugg product by referring to its own boots as “ugg boots” on its U.S. website.
More recently in 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected an Australian footwear maker’s petition to appeal a case involving Deckers and its Ugg brand. Australian Leather owner Eddie Oygur was previously sued by Deckers for trademark infringement. In 2019, Oygur was ordered to pay $450,000 after a ruling from the District Court for the Northern District of Illinois that determined that he infringed on Deckers’ trademark of the word “Ugg.”
And earlier this year, Deckers sued Walmart for allegedly selling lookalikes of the Ugg Classic Ultra Mini and the Ugg Oh Yeah slide.
Ugg’s Resurgence in Popularity
The resurgence of Ugg’s popularity in the U.S. is undoubtedly another reason for this fresh debate. After several quarters of lagging sales, Deckers Brands reported in October that the footwear label returned to gains in the second quarter of fiscal 2024 — and the momentum is expected to continue.
In fact, the Goleta, Calif.-based footwear company reported that Ugg saw net sales in the period increase 28.1 percent to $610.5 million, compared to $476.5 million in same time last year. What’s more, global revenue for the brand also increased 18 percent in the first half of fiscal year 2024.
Deckers president and CEO Dave Powers told analyst on the company’s earnings call at the time that Ugg’s strong first-half performance was driven primarily by high levels of brand heat, disciplined marketplace management leading to product scarcity on key styles exiting last fall and an earlier release of the brand’s fall marketing campaign relative to past years.
The boot’s rise to prominence this year continued into the holidays. Earlier this month, searches for “Uggs with bows” increased by 150 percent on Tuesday, according to the latest Google Newsletter. The surge in interest follows Ugg’s Monday post on Instagram, showing a pair of Ugg boots embellished with festive bows. “The UGG bowification continues,” the brand captioned.
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