Have you ‘hoovered’ your house lately? Perhaps somebody just told you to ‘google it’. These are both commonly used phrases that people sometimes forget are actually brand names or trademarked. I find it very impressive to see brands that have been so successful that people use them in daily conversations, aka generic trademarks. Here are some more common phrases, though perhaps not so common that you use them daily, please comment if you have any more or if I have made any mistakes!
- Heroin – Diacetylmorphine
- Play-Doh – Modeling compound
- Hula Hoop – Either a toy hoop or a packet of crisps
- Pogo stick – Bouncing stick
- AstroTurf – Artificial grass
- Ebay – One of many auction websites
- Escalator – A moving staircase
- Tupperware – Plastic box
- Jacuzzi – Hot tub
- Champagne – Sparkling wine
- Plaster/Band-aid – Adhesive bandage
- Sellotape – Clear adhesive tape
- Dominos – A tile based game or a pizza provider
- Kleenex – Facial tissue
There are many more, but I shall stop there to give you all a chance to say some! I hope you find this seemingly simple post to be very interesting… I sure have found it interesting to write.
Shane
Nice reflection on commonly branded names Shane. I find it interesting how the net is increasing these terms; My grandmother has even been heard saying “google it” which cracks me up to no end! If she says “Tweet it” I'm going to fall over laughing.
Really? My nan very rarely uses the computer let alone google!! Tweet it is another very good one.
That's funny! Me and my friends say “google it” all the time. I don't know that my grandmother would start, though.
Awesome post. I never say “kleenex” but tupperware is a common one. I wasn't aware pogo-stick was a brand name. Hah.
I wasn't even aware that some of those were brand names. Here are some others one to add to the list: frisbee, saran wrap, roller blade, walkman. It is the ultimate marketing tool when your brand becomes an everyday word.
The power of branding is fierce at times.
Tylenol is always a common name that I hear when people refer to taking medication for headaches, and that sorta of thing. It's amazing the power of branding can have =D
Till then,
Jean
Tylenol & Aspirin are pretty close in the brand recognition and use as an everyday word. That sucks for their competitors. How do you compete against such household names?
Hi,What are six common, different toothpaste brands? what you say?
6? Hmm… the only one I can think of from the top of my head is colgate, what would you say?
By the way, thank you for commenting!
Very True.. The power of branding is very fierce at times.
I was thinking back to this post a few days ago, and I was wondering.. I wonder how many total “common branded” names there really are, if we limit it to USA only off course, otherwise, then the list would be really huge and much harder to come up with, lol
Till then,
Jean
Good point of view. I don't think about this common brand names. Interesting..