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New brand names being used as generic names

SteveJRogers Mar 27 2007 07:56 PM

You know, this really is a big deal in journalism, you can't say for example: "The Astros were one of the first teams to use astroturf as their playing surface..." Because Astroturf is a brand of artificial playing surfaces it must be capitialized at all times. Though "turf" despite usage in other areas has been used as a way around it. The companies that own the names do get quite picky about their names being used in that way, and for good reason. Anyway, that got me thinking of some newer versions of brand names that seem to have creeped their way into the vocabulary to become a generic description of what they are. Photoshop I'm sure Adobe loves the props everyone gives them for their fine imaging software packaging through the years, but really, it's a brand such as Microsoft Paint, or Corell's Paint Shop Pro. Google Now I haven't seen Google in print as google yet, but I'm sure there are those who may have used Alta Vista or Hotbot and still said they "Googled" something. Walkman Sony's portable radio player has really become the generic name for such devices. Then again, I don't think anyonelse came up with a name for their portable radio players. iPod Apple's brand of mp3 players has become so much the standard that when you hear pod-cast advertizments or such it's always "And you can download it on your iPod or mp3 players..." Trying to think of others...I guess Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint are pretty much also on Photoshop's level for word processing, spreadsheet and presentations that they've become generic terms for those applications as well

Kid Carsey Mar 27 2007 08:10 PM

I call the copier a Xerox machine even though it's a Ricoh.

metsmarathon Mar 27 2007 08:32 PM Re: New brand names being used as generic names

minor quibblings: SteveJRogers wrote: iPod Apple's brand of mp3 players has become so much the standard that when you hear pod-cast advertizments or such it's always "And you can download it on your iPod or mp3 players..." the example doesn't quite work. that's like saying "and you can duplicate it on your Xerox or photocopier" ]Trying to think of others...I guess Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint are pretty much also on Photoshop's level for word processing, spreadsheet and presentations that they've become generic terms for those applications as well not quite. when people say they're doing some excel work, they really are using excel. because those savvy intrepid folks who don't use microsoft office for their office software needs, i expect, would say the name of the actual software product they use. bluetooth is a brand name. its also about the only wireless phone accessory game in town. just because one would refer to their headset as "my bluetooth ..." doesn't mean they're genericising it. mapquest is a good example, tho. (but i'm an exception - i use "google earth" as a verb)

OlerudOwned Mar 27 2007 08:49 PM

Q-Tips and Band-Aids and Pop-Tarts oh my.

metsmarathon Mar 27 2007 08:55 PM

tater tots

Yancy Street Gang Mar 27 2007 09:02 PM

Did someone say Pop Tarts???

MFS62 Mar 27 2007 09:04 PM

And Vaseline (brand petroleum jelly). Companies fight like the dickens to protecttheir brand names from becoming generic. I was working for Chesebrough-Pond's (now Unilever) at the time that Gaylord Perry was accused of throwing the "Vaseline ball" in an Associated Press story. CPI had a service that spotted mention of its brands in public media and reported any improper usage back to the Corporate Law department. They found that over 5,000 newspapers had picked up the story, and each one of them was sent a letter that said (I paraphrase) "Vaseline is a copywrited brand name. In the future, please say that Mr. Perry throws a 'grease ball' or a 'petroleum jelly ball. Any future use of the Vaselene brand will subject you to legal action." Later

Johnny Dickshot Mar 27 2007 10:00 PM

Frisbee Realtor

soupcan Mar 27 2007 10:58 PM

Brillo (pads)?

Gwreck Mar 28 2007 01:30 AM

Kleenex. Frappuccino.

iramets Mar 28 2007 06:57 AM

"We put Vaseline on the baby And gasoline in the car. If we did it the other way, maybe we wouldn't get very far...." Doesn't have the right rhythm with "petroleum jelly."

Frayed Knot Mar 28 2007 09:13 AM

iramets wrote: "We put Vaseline on the baby And gasoline in the car. If we did it the other way, maybe we wouldn't get very far...." Burma Shave

metsmarathon Mar 28 2007 11:43 AM

frappucino is a good one. relatedly, i wonder if people who are looking for an overly-expensive, espresso-based hot beverage would state that they are going for some "starbucks", or just a "coffee/latte/cappucino/mocha/etc", or would they name their destination? i only ask because i typically name the destination, which is typically starbucks. but if i'm going for coffee beanery, i would state that, instead of genericizing with starbucks, but i'm not sure if the general populace does... oh, does spam count? i mean, not in the sense that the product name for spam has come to refer to any and all inexpensive canned hams, but rather that the word spam has been usurped to refer to something which, while in some ways is analogous to the real product, is nothing like it. its like if we started calling nickels "charmin' "

Edgy DC Mar 28 2007 11:52 AM

I've got an associate here in DC who claims to have invented and named the Frappucino, only to have his boss sell the trademark to Starbucks.

Centerfield Mar 28 2007 12:03 PM

Windex Coke

MFS62 Mar 28 2007 12:08 PM

Aspirin Later

soupcan Mar 28 2007 12:35 PM

I'm calling fouls on 'Realtor' and 'Aspirin' Explain your positions or take a seat.

Yancy Street Gang Mar 28 2007 12:58 PM

Aspirin was once a brand name. I can't explain Realtor, though.

Frayed Knot Mar 28 2007 01:26 PM

I don't think 'Coke' works either. People will usually use the specific brand or a generic name like 'soda' or 'pop'

Edgy DC Mar 28 2007 01:29 PM

You think so? The way I'm used to it is that, in the north, people use "Coke" for "cola," and in the south, "Coke" for "carbonated syrup beverage."

Yancy Street Gang Mar 28 2007 01:40 PM

Edgy DC wrote: You think so? The way I'm used to it is that, in the north, people use "Coke" for "cola," and in the south, "Coke" for "carbonated syrup beverage." True. I have a friend whose wife is from North Carolina (or South Carolina or some place like that) and she says you can get a "Ginger ale coke" or a "7-Up Coke" etc. etc. Just one of many reasons why I never expect to live anywhere that once flew a Confederate flag.

metsmarathon Mar 28 2007 02:29 PM

TiVo

attgig Mar 29 2007 05:15 PM

yeah, the coke thing is more of a southern thing. up in the northern states, coke and pepsi are usually differentiated. some others: along with walkman....discman Allen Wrench - named after the original company. Spam - not quite referring to fake meats anymore, but rather annoying e-mails bandaids tupperware jello ziploc bags

SteveJRogers Mar 29 2007 08:31 PM

metsmarathon wrote: oh, does spam count? i mean, not in the sense that the product name for spam has come to refer to any and all inexpensive canned hams, but rather that the word spam has been usurped to refer to something which, while in some ways is analogous to the real product, is nothing like it. I don't recall where the heck I first read it, but apparantly Spam for junk email and message board postings is more a nod to the Monty Python "Spam" sketch. While it is about Hormel's product, the name is taken from the fact that the word spam is used quite frequently throughout the sketch (no clue if the author of the sketch even knew about the famed Chicago tavern where you hear "cheezebourger, cheezebourger" very often) including being chanted by some background characters and I think Michael Palin keeps exclaiming "I DONT LIKE SPAM!"

RealityChuck Mar 29 2007 10:33 PM

SteveJRogers wrote: I don't recall where the heck I first read it, but apparantly Spam for junk email and message board postings is more a nod to the Monty Python "Spam" sketch. While it is about Hormel's product, the name is taken from the fact that the word spam is used quite frequently throughout the sketch (no clue if the author of the sketch even knew about the famed Chicago tavern where you hear "cheezebourger, cheezebourger" very often) including being chanted by some background characters and I think Michael Palin keeps exclaiming "I DONT LIKE SPAM!" It was Graham Chapman (in drag). The other Pythons in the skit were Terry Jones (who rattles off the spam dishes on the menu) and Eric Idle. The Fred Tomlinson singers, dressed as Vikings, sing "Spam, spam, spam, spam, lovely spam, wonderful spam." It also predated the SNL "cheezebourger" skit by several years.

attgig Mar 30 2007 10:58 AM

cheeburger cheeburger no coke. only pepsi.... I love that place. a cheesburger, basket of frings, and a delicious shake. yummmmm. [url]http://www.cheeburger.com/[/url] and yeah, great monty python sketch. on the spam. but wasn't that based on spam, the hormel product?

MFS62 Mar 30 2007 11:11 AM

If you really want to read about a "special" eatery from the folks you gave you Monty Python, google a copy of the routine called "Peach and Frog". (Or was it frog and peach?) Edit: Here it is; http://www.faculty.ucr.edu/~currie/frog.htm Later

Yancy Street Gang Mar 30 2007 11:35 AM

I remember a restaurant called "The Frog and the Peach" in St. James, Long Island. I don't believe I ever ate there though. Frogs are yummy, but peaches?? Blecch!

RealityChuck Mar 30 2007 03:42 PM

Hey, frog's legs are good eating with garlic. Taste like chicken, with a little bit of fish.