How many of these words did you know were brands first?
One of the most exciting things about language is that it is ever-evolving, with the Cambridge Dictionary adding thousands of new words every year. With so many new additions, it’s hard to keep up with where various words have come from.
Emre Aksu, editor-in-chief of 1337 Games, has revealed some common verbs and nouns used in everyday language that actually originated as trademarked brand names and explained the cultural phenomenon of verbification and genericide.
Hoover is one of the earliest examples of a brand name becoming a verb. The Hoover Company dominated the vacuum cleaner market in the early 20th century, leading to its name becoming synonymous with the act of vacuum cleaning.
"Despite Dyson and Shark being the most popular vacuum brands in the UK, most people still refer to ‘hoovering’ their carpets,” Emre explained. “This one is more of a regional difference, as Brits tend to use the term ‘hoover’, while Americans opt for ‘vacuum’. It’s even more interesting to think about considering Hoover is actually an American brand.”
Another common example is Google. Emre states that "Google has become so synonymous with internet searching that few people say, 'I'll search for that online' anymore. Instead, we simply say 'I'll Google it' regardless of which search engine we actually use."
More recent examples include Photoshop and Uber. Adobe's image editing software has led to 'photoshopping' becoming shorthand for any digital image manipulation, while people often refer to ‘Ubering’ somewhere, even if they’re getting a taxi or another Uber competitor.
Other brands that have been genericised include Air Fryer, Sellotape, Trampoline, Crock-Pot, and Frisbee.
While some brands embrace becoming a generic term, others actively campaign against it. "Xerox spent decades and millions of dollars urging people to say they're 'photocopying' not 'xeroxing' documents," Aksu said. "They feared becoming so generic they'd lose trademark protection, which happened to Aspirin, Escalator, and Thermos."
Similarly, the Velcro company launched a campaign in 2017 to discourage people from using ‘Velcro’ for generic hook-and-loop fasteners. Aksu noted that Rollerblade, Jacuzzi, Band-Aid, and Chapstick similarly discourage verbal use.
So, is becoming a generic term really that bad? Unfortunately, that answer isn’t clear and depends on the brand itself. On one hand, becoming a generic term means that your brand or product does its job better than anyone else's, thus becoming synonymous with the act itself. On the other hand, you risk losing trademark status and fading into the background of other competitors that are all using your name to market their products, as was the case with Bubble Wrap. This is known as genericide.
Either way, what is clear, is that this linguistic trend is continuing to rise, whether brands like it or not.
The editor-in-chief of 1337 Games adds that, “As companies grow and become household names, their influence grows, and they begin appearing in pop culture.
“Social media has had a major influence on this, as it can spread a catchy phrase or trend at lightning speed. A single viral post can turn a branded action into a common phrase almost overnight.
“In my opinion, when your customers start using your name as a verb, celebrate. It means you've not just created a product; you've created a category. Brands like Google prove that with strong brand management and identity, becoming a generic term can actually cement your place as the default choice in the market.”