We all know that Xerox is a company, now synonymous with the process of photocopying. Now, the term ‘Anthimeria’ is used to describe the act of using a word in a new form. And if this happens with your product, a good thing is that your product has achieved high reputation, and is thought to be of excellent quality and a game-changer. However, on the flipside, trademark issues arise.
Let’s see more examples of how some popular brands are trademark names, shich are synonymously used as the product itself. And also what can one call them alternatively.
1. Hula Hoop
A simple plastic toy hoop marketed by Wham-O was given the brand name Hula Hoop.
2. Band Aid
Band-Aid was originally trademarked by Johnson & Johnson a century back. One can call it an adhesive bandage.
3. Bubble Wrap
The trademark is owned by Sealed Air Corporation and can called by its generic name as inflated cushioning.
4.Ping pong
PIng Pong is the name of the company manufacturing table tennis tables and not the game itself.
5. Velcro
Velcro was officially patented in 1958 and has since been a trademark of Velcro Industries B.V
6. Frisbee
The trademark owner is Wham-O since 1957.
7. Google
The internet search engine’s trademark owner is Google Inc. And today, anything that you want to search is denoted by the phrase “Google It”
8. Jacuzzi
Alternatively called a hot tub, the Jacuzzi brothers made a normal tub with a hydrotherapy pump. Though the trademark is still active, the name Jacuzzi has become synonymous with the product.
9. Jeep
Chrysler owns the trademark to this product name that can be called by its generic name as a compact sport utility vehicle
10. Popsicle
Every frozen treat on a stick is called a popsicle, but the trademark owner is Good Humor-Breyers.
11. Thermos
Thermos was declared a generic term in 1963, though it was originally trademarked by Thermos, LLC more than a century back.
12. Granola
Sanitarium Foods in 1921, trademarked this word to express whole grain products that could be crumbled and baked to form a crisp.
13. Realtor
Realtor is a legally recognized trademark of the National Association of Realtors, which refers to members of its group. It was created to differentiate members from the general population of real
estate agents, and not real estate agents in general.
14.Memory Stick
Any Flash memory storage device is called as a memory stick these days. However, it is a trademarked product owned by Sony, by the name Memory Stick Pro.
15.Polaroid
Any instant camera is called a polaroid, but the trademark owner is Polaroid Corporation that had its product called Polaroid Camera
16. Post-It
Used for helping people remember and recall things, the product name Post-it is trademarked by owner 3M. generic name for the same can be a Sticky note
17. Rollerblade
Rollerblades are a brand of inline skates whose trademark owner is Nordica
18. Taser Gun
Taser Gun are a brand of stun guns and TASER International Inc is its trademark owner
19. Walkman
Though not much in use these days, Walkman was the brand name of a personal stereo owned by Sony Corporation. Later, all personal stereos were called Walkman’s
20. Aspirin
Aspirin is an acetylsalicylic acid and now every such pill is referred to as an aspirin, though the trademark owner of the original product is Bayer.
21. Escalator
The moving staircase was named escalator and its trademark is owned by Otis Elevator. Today, every moving staircase is called the escalator.
22. Cellotape
Cellotape or Sellotape is a British brand of pressure sensitive adhesive tape and its trademark owner is Henkel.
23. La-Z-Boy
Any reclining sofa or chair is denoted by the word LazyBoy. However, the trademark owner of the word is La-Z-Boy, Inc.
24. Chapstick
One can call the lip balm as a chapstick. Chapstick was the name of the lip balm by Wyeth Consumer healthcare.
25. Fiberglass
Any kind of glass wool is called Fiberglass though its trademark owner is Owens Corning.
26. Plasticine
Modelling clay is called plasticine. However, Plasticine is the trademarked product by Flair Leisure Products Plc.
27. Scotch Tape
Just like Sellotape, scotch tape is a clear adhesive tape whose trademark owner is 3M.
28. Ziploc
A zipper storage bag is called Ziploc though the Ziploc is originally the name of the brand by S.C.Johnson & Son
29. Jet Ski
A personal watercraft is also called a jet ski or water scooter. However, the term Jet ski’s trademark owner is Kawasaki
30. Cellophane
A thin transparent sheet that is made of regenerated cellulose is called Cellophane paper. Its trademark owner is Innovia Films(Europe) and DuPont(US)
