the first stop in my searching came up with the following forum conversation:
Re: Often imitated, never duplicated. Posted by RRC on July 09, 2009 at 15:29 In Reply to: Often imitated, never duplicated. posted by Brian from Shawnee on July 09, 2009 at 07:39:
: Often imitated, never duplicated.
: A friend asked me if I'd ever heard this slogan, and of course I had. But then he asked what company or product used it, and I was stumped. I thought it might be Bulova Watch Company but an on-line search proved fruitless. Does anybody know what company first used this slogan? Is it even an advertising slogan at all? Thanks!
I have found "often imitated (but) never duplicated" used in a lot of different ad copy back to the 1920's but it doesn't seem to have been a trademarked slogan exclusive to one product or company as far as I have found. For example in 1928, I found ads for an English tailor and Blue Ribbon malt extract using the words in the copy of their ads.
The other searches pretty much back up the idea that it is an often used phrase in advertising, and I'm pretty sure it's been used by more than one entertainment journalist or emcee when referring to some performer or another. I have a feeling that you're not going to hit on the "bingo!" moment you're looking to find.
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