Imitations

In a sense human history is a history of imitations. Imitators imitate original ones in either poorer ways or intricate ways. Poorer ones give way to the more intricate ones regardless of which is original.

Kewpie company apparently endorsed their main logo kewpie from its originator. But this mayonnaise company was too big to stop using its character when it was claimed to not using it. I don't know thereafter, but still it is using the character.

One artist -then famous drew his paintings in almost completely copying a 'Campbell' can was welcomed by the company because it became very effective advertisement, if he were not famous at all, he might have been sued as violating copyright.

The only way not to be sued was to overwhelm the popularity its originators made.
Any people or company are eager to be well-known no matter what the measure it had.