[net.nlang] Tradenames used as generic nouns

jeff@rtech.ARPA (Jeff Lichtman) (03/21/85)

Some tradenames are commonly used as generic terms.  If a company that
owns a tradename doesn't actively protect it when other companies use it,
then a court can rule that the name has become part of the language (i.e.
a generic), at least in the U.S.  Here are some examples of tradenames
that people use as generics (not necessarily recognized by the court as
generic).  Please note that I don't want to discuss the legal aspects here;
move the discussion to net.legal if you want to talk about this.

	Coke		- The Coca Cola company gets angry if someone
			  in a restaurant asks for a Coke and gets Pepsi.
			  Waiters are supposed to say "We don't serve Coke.
			  Would Pepsi be OK?", or something like that.

	Kleenex

	Band-Aid

	Jell-o

	Xerox		- This is less commonly used as a generic name than
			  it used to be (or so it seems to me).  Maybe this
			  is because other copier companies have become more
			  prominent.

	Frigidaire	- It used to be common to use this to mean
			  "refrigerator".

	Linoleum	- Is this one no longer a protected tradename?

	Formica		- or this?

	Vaseline

	Q-Tip

	Saran Wrap

Are any of the above tradenames in danger of becoming "aspirins" (aspirin
used to be a tradename of the Bayer company)?  Can anyone think of any I
have left out?
-- 
Jeff Lichtman at rtech (Relational Technology, Inc.)
aka Swazoo Koolak

landauer@drivax.UUCP (Doug Landauer) (03/21/85)

Jeff Lichtman's list of generic tradenames...
> 	Coke, Kleenex, Band-Aid, Jello, Xerox, Frigidaire, Linoleum,
> 	Formica, Vaseline, Q-Tip, Saran Wrap
> 
> Can anyone think of any I have left out?

How about
	Zipper
	Velcro
	Rolodex
	"Unix"
 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
			-- Doug Landauer --
	...[ ihnp4 | mot | ucscc | amdahl ] !drivax!landauer

ed@mtxinu.UUCP (Ed Gould) (03/23/85)

> 	Frigidaire	- It used to be common to use this to mean
> 			  "refrigerator".

Fridgidaire diesn't seem to be used any more as a generic (although
my grandmother still uses it) but "fridge" sure is.  I suppose it
survived because it can be related back to refridgerator so easily.

> 	Linoleum	- Is this one no longer a protected tradename?
> 
> 	Formica		- or this?

I don't know about Linoleum, but I heard not too long ago that a court
ruled that formica was a generic term, using as reasoning that there
was no common knowledge of another term for the substance.  "Plastic
Laminate Counter Top" didn't satisfy the court.

> -- 
> Jeff Lichtman at rtech (Relational Technology, Inc.)
> aka Swazoo Koolak

-- 
Ed Gould		    mt Xinu, 739 Allston Way, Berkeley, CA  94710  USA
{ucbvax,decvax}!mtxinu!ed   +1 415 644 0146

jcp@osiris.UUCP (Jody Patilla) (03/24/85)

> Some tradenames are commonly used as generic terms.  If a company that
> owns a tradename doesn't actively protect it when other companies use it,
> then a court can rule that the name has become part of the language (i.e.
> a generic), at least in the U.S.  Here are some examples of tradenames

	"Zipper" is an example of a word that went generic awhile back. Note
that the Army still refers to these items as "Fasteners, Interlocking Slide".

	Xerox the company has been waging a small war against people using
the word "xerox" instead of "photocopy" because they are in serious danger
of losing their trademark status.
-- 
  

jcpatilla

"'Get stuffed !', the Harlequin replied ..."

mcdermot@unmvax.UUCP (03/25/85)

> Jeff Lichtman's list of generic tradenames...
> > 	Coke, Kleenex, Band-Aid, Jello, Xerox, Frigidaire, Linoleum,
> > 	Formica, Vaseline, Q-Tip, Saran Wrap
> > Can anyone think of any I have left out?
> 
> How about Zipper Velcro Rolodex "Unix"
> [formatting liberties taken]

How about aspirin?
-- 

John McDermott			{gatech|ucbvax|convex|pur-ee}!unmvax!mcdermot
Univ of NM			W (505) 277-4650 
Albuquerque, NM 87131		H (505) 255-7796

werner@aecom.UUCP (03/25/85)

> Are any of the above tradenames in danger of becoming "aspirins" (aspirin
> used to be a tradename of the Bayer company)?  Can anyone think of any I
> have left out?
		> Jeff Lichtman at rtech (Relational Technology, Inc.)

Aspirin as a trademark was confiscated (along with the process) by the US
government during World War I and distributed to various chemical companies.
It was not a evolutionary process. (And in Europe, Bayer SG makes Aspirin,
and everyone else sells ASA (Acetyl Salicylic Acid)

> Concerning Frigidaire -- last year I had a landlady who had emigrated from
France (OK, I had a real concierge).  When our refrigerator broke, she
was constantly talking about our "frigidaire," so the use of the term as
as generic for refrgierator is still common outside the US (France at least)

Finally, there was an article in the Sunday Daily News recently about how
one was not playing Scrabble. One was playing:
	Scrabble (R) Brand Crossword Game
This is so Scrabble won't become generic like "Monopoly."


-- 
				Craig Werner
				!philabs!aecom!werner
		What do you expect?  Watermelons are out of season!

rjw@ptsfc.UUCP (Rod Williams) (03/26/85)

>Some tradenames are commonly used as generic terms...
>	Coke		
>	Kleenex
>	Band-Aid
>	Jell-o
>	Xerox		
>	Frigidaire	
>	Linoleum	
>	Formica		
>	Vaseline
>	Q-Tip
>	Saran Wrap

        Don't forget Hoover, Scotch Tape, Crisco...
-- 

 rod williams | pacific bell | san francisco
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 {ihnp4,ucbvax,cbosgd,decwrl,amd70,fortune,zehntel}!dual!ptsfa!ptsfc!rjw

doug@terak.UUCP (Doug Pardee) (03/26/85)

Another that apparently got away from its owner: Thermos.  We now have
Aladdin brand thermos bottles.
-- 
Doug Pardee -- Terak Corp. -- !{hao,ihnp4,decvax}!noao!terak!doug

holly@dartvax.UUCP (Holly Cabell) (03/27/85)

> > Some tradenames are commonly used as generic terms.  If a company that
> > owns a tradename doesn't actively protect it when other companies use it,
> > then a court can rule that the name has become part of the language (i.e.
> > a generic), at least in the U.S.  Here are some examples of tradenames
> 
> 	"Zipper" is an example ...
> 
*** REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR MESSAGE ***
Another company that had problems with this is 'Aspirin'.
That was a company name a while back.  Also I hear that 'Kleenex'
is fighting to keep there name a company name (trademark?)
and they are trying to get the public to use 'facial tissue'
instead of the more common name 'kleenex'.

--johnc at [the.world] ! dartvax ! holly

mgh@hou5h.UUCP (Marcus Hand) (03/30/85)

How about Hoover, Rolls-Royce, Perspex, Nylon, Teflon,
Mole grips (or wrench), Scotch tape, Sellotape.....
-- 
			Marcus Hand	(hou5h!mgh)

mgh@hou5h.UUCP (Marcus Hand) (03/30/85)

In <1312@aecom.UUCP> werner@aecom.UUCP says:

> Aspirin as a trademark was confiscated (along with the process) by the US
> government during World War I and distributed to various chemical companies.
> It was not a evolutionary process. (And in Europe, Bayer SG makes Aspirin,
> and everyone else sells ASA (Acetyl Salicylic Acid)

Oh no they don't (sell ASA).  I have swallowed many an aspirin BPC or BP
(Brittannica Pharmacopaeia, I think),  and whatever some of the more right
wing Torys and left wing Labourites might wish to think, Britain is definately
part of Europe geographically, demographically, politically and geologically.
-- 
			Marcus Hand	(hou5h!mgh)