Brands That Have Become a Phenomenon
Linguistically, this phenomenon is known as “Genericization” or “the transformation of a trademark into a generic term.” For the producing company, it represents the pinnacle of success, but it is also a legal nightmare, as the company may lose its trademark protection rights due to this widespread usage. Examples include:
1. Hoover: Its name has become a common verb used by millions in English-speaking countries. It was the first successful electric vacuum cleaner, invented by American James Spangler in 1908, but manufactured and marketed by Hoover.
2. Xerox: Its name has become a verb in English (“to xerox a document”), meaning to copy or photograph a document, even though Xerox is the company name, not the invention of the copying machine itself.
3. Google: It has become an official verb in English dictionaries (“to google something”), meaning to search the internet, even if the person uses a different search engine.
4. Band-Aid: In the United States, it is used as a generic term for any adhesive bandage, regardless of the manufacturing company.
5. Kleenex: Used as a generic term for facial tissues in many English-speaking countries.
6. Thermos: Has become a generic term for a vacuum flask (insulated container). The company even lost a U.S. legal case in 1963, losing its trademark exclusivity due to this common usage.
7. Aspirin: Originally an exclusive trademark of the German company Bayer, it became the generic name for the drug worldwide after Bayer lost its trademark rights as war reparations following World War I. We have previously written about this.
8. Escalator: Was a trademark of the American Otis Elevator Company, but lost its legal protection in 1950 and became the generic term for any moving staircase.
9. Trampoline: Was a registered trademark, but later became the generic name for this sports equipment.
10. Jacuzzi: Has become a generic term for any bubble bath, even though it was originally the surname of the Italian-American family that founded the company.
11. Velcro: Is sometimes used as a generic term for “hook-and-loop fastener,” although the company continues to try legally to maintain exclusivity through amusing awareness campaigns.
12. Photoshop: Is sometimes used as a verb (“to photoshop a picture”), meaning to digitally edit an image.
13. Styrofoam: Is sometimes incorrectly used as a generic term for any expanded polystyrene foam, although it is a trademark specific to Dow Chemical for the original material only.
14. Chapstick: Has become a semi-generic term for lip balm in the United States.
15. Zipper: Was originally a trademark of B.F. Goodrich, but became the comprehensive generic term for the “zipper” mechanism in clothing, bags, and other items.
16. Dumpster: Was a trademark of Dempster Brothers, but became the generic term for large waste containers in the United States.
17. Jet Ski: Is a trademark of Kawasaki, but is sometimes used as a generic term for any personal watercraft.
We also have amusing examples in our own countries: “Pepsi” or “Cola” often refer to any dark-colored carbonated beverage. But why does this happen? This phenomenon usually occurs when a company is the first to enter the market with a completely new product, such as Xerox with photocopiers, or Aspirin with the painkiller. The public associates the brand name with the product itself rather than its general category, especially if there is no common generic alternative that is easy to pronounce at the time of the product’s launch.
Ahmad Al-Sarraff
