or Is it Kleenex?
Ping-Pong
Ping Pong was trademarked in 1901 as a brand of table tennis products named for the sound the ball makes when it hits the table.
Sharpie
The permanent marker was invented in 1956, but the Sharpie wasn’t introduced until 1964. Today, the products are almost synonymous with one another. Back when I was growing up, my permanent markers were referred to by the brand Magic Markers.
Band-Aids
Johnson & Johnson manufactured gauze and adhesive tape separately until Earle Dickson had the idea to combine them to create Band-Aids for his accident-prone wife.
Dumpster
Dumpster is a brand name, which is true, although the word has become largely genericized and the trademark is not widely enforced. The APA has even dropped the recommendation to capitalize the word. The Dumpster got its name from the Dempster Brothers Inc., which combined their name with the word “dump” to create the Dempster Dumpster.
Xerox
Xerox has been trying to stop people from calling photocopying "xeroxing" for years. "Use Xerox only as an adjective to identify our products and services," said a 2010 print ad, "not a verb, 'to Xerox,' or a noun, 'Xeroxes.' Something to keep in mind that will help us keep it together." It's only in the last couple of years that I find myself saying copying more than Xeroxing.
Formica
If not made by the Diller Corporation, you should call it a decorative laminate. I went to school with kids whose grandfather invented Formica. They were one of the richer families in town.
GED
The GED is certainly the most famous of the high school equivalency diplomas, but this one is trademarked by the American Council on Education.
Seeing Eye Dog
Technically it's only a Seeing Eye Dog if it's trained by Seeing Eye of Morristown New Jersey. Otherwise it's a guide dog.
Did you know that all of these were associated with a specific brand? I didn't.
I had no idea that these were brand specific names--except for Kleenex (I admit I use that term instead of tissues). Oh, and I knew that Sharpies was a brand.
ReplyDeletePing-pong was my biggest surprise.
DeleteInteresting...i know this phenomenon....u gave some v good examples though we may not use all these in India...but some brands make their mark...interesting to know about Xerox...never knew!!ping pong band aid...quite interesting
ReplyDeleteJust an observation u posted bandaid detail twice :) good day
Dropping by from a to z "The Pensive"
It will be a while before Xerox achieves their wish of not using Xerox as a verb. Thanks for noticing the Bandaid observation. That's what happens when you write the post at two different times. I removed one of them.
DeleteI didn't know any of this, except Kleenex, as a brand.
ReplyDeleteI grew up with Kleenex, so it's been used for tissue for a long time.
DeleteThis post reminds me of a conversation from one of my favorite TV shows Big Bang Theory. If you're a fan you'll know the episode. The character Sheldon explains to another character Zack, 'All Jacuzzis are hot tubs but not all hot tubs are Jacuzzi.' or something like that. It's a funny show.
ReplyDeleteI remember that show well. I always enjoy it when Zach is on.
DeleteGuilty! And don't forget Q-tips!
ReplyDeleteI say Q-tips instead of cotton swabs. Guilty here, also.
DeleteYou caught me with Dumpster and Seeing Eye Dog. It's an interesting phenomenon -
ReplyDeleteI imagine brands want the sweet spot that is brand recognition and market domination, but when you reach the point where other products get called by your name, I suspect it erodes the success.
I think Xerox was saying that they passed the sweet spot.
DeleteI knew some of these but didn't about the seeing eye dog, GED, Dumpster, Formica, and Band-aids. And I say "hand me a Kleenex please" but grandson says "can you get me a tissue please?" Probably since they buy generic tissues and I think growing up my mom just bought Kleenex brand.
ReplyDeletebetty
I was surprised by seeing eye dog and GED. We had other brands of tissues growing up like Puffs, but they were all Kleenex. I think your grandson represents the growing trend of saying "tissue."
DeleteI didn't know about ping pong being a brand name! Growing up, we didn't have Band-Aids, we had sticking plaster and no facial tissues, only cloth handkerchiefs. Transparent tape (often called Scotch tape, which is a brand name, here) was always known as Sellotape (which is also a brand name, a British brand). Polishing the floors (which were pigmented cement floors with a glossy finish) was always called hoovering (because we used Hoover brand floor polishers). :)
ReplyDeleteIt's very interesting to hear the names you grew up with. I haven't heard of any of them except hoovering which I've heard on occasion to mean vacuuming.
DeleteWhen I was growing up we called any soda drink Coke. We didnt usually drink coke but like the aforementioned is a household name.
ReplyDeleteTurned Back
Although not on the list, I was thinking about Coke, too. Depending on the region you live in, soda can be called soda, pop, or Coke. I grew up calling it pop but call it soda now.
Delete