Is there a legal reason why fictional shows use imitation brand names?
<p><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/lA8bY.png" alt="Screencap of a Simpsons episode showing Sprawl-Mart"></p>

<p>Often, when I watch TV shows, I'll see or hear about an imitation of a real brand name.  </p>

<p>As an example, here is a parody of Walmart from The Simpsons
The store in the picture is unambiguously supposed to represent Walmart.  They're even using Walmart's Styling</p>

<p>Is there any legal reason why they do this? and if there is, does it provide any actual legal protection? </p>

<p><em>In general</em>, TV shows or other fictional works will use <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fictional_brand">fictional brands</a> to avoid infringing the brand's trademark. According to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fictional_brand">Wikipedia</a>, this occurs more often when the brand is used in a potentially negative way.</p>

<p>In your specific example, however, it's clear that (as commenters pointed out) the brand "Sprawlmart" was a parody intended to be humorous and was not for legal reasons.</p>

<p><em>Don't know if this adds much to discussion, please comment if not and I will remove this post.</em></p>

<p>In some (European) countries (like Belgium), national television and especially children television networks are not allowed to broadcast (a significant amount of) advertisement. Product placement and mentioning brands is seen as a sort of advertisement, even if the company promoted did not asked for this. The idea is that children cannot properly "defend" themselves against advertisement and furthermore it is debatable whether a publicly funded television network should broadcast advertisements.</p>

<p>If television networks would do so, they have to pay a fine (there are even some hilarious cases where for instance the TV station had to pay a fine because a person they interviewed for the News was wearing a T-shirt of a specific brand).</p>

<p>I can imagine that some fictional shows that target an international audience - like <em>The Simpsons</em> - are aware of such laws and thus make a parody on these brands in order to increase the number of potential television networks broadcasting the show.</p>

intellectual-property