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Mike-O-Matic on GooTube and The Power of Branding

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Edvard:
Some thoughts on branding as posted at the RandomRareBits Blog :

How is communication important in branding? Perhaps...the following analogies will help us define the word...

You're at a party and see a handsome guy. You get up and straighten your dress. You walk up to him and pour him a drink. You say, "May I," and reach up to straighten his tie brushing your breast lightly against his arm, and then say, "By the way, I'm fantastic in bed." That's Public Relations.

You're at a party with a bunch of friends and see a handsome guy. One of your friends goes up to him and pointing at you says,"She's fantastic in bed." That's Advertising.

You see a handsome guy at a party. You go up to him and say, "I'm fantastic in bed." That's Direct Marketing.

You see a handsome guy at a party. You go up to him and get his telephone number. The next day you call and say, "Hi, I'm fantastic in bed." That's Telemarketing.

You're on your way to a party when you realize that there could be handsome men in all these houses you're passing. So you climb out the sunroof of the car and shout at the top of your lungs, "I'm fantastic in bed!" That's Spam.

You're at a party and see a handsome guy. He walks up to you and says, "I hear you're fantastic in bed." That's Brand Recognition.
--- End quote ---

Carol Haynes:
LOL - brilliant

app103:
yeah i think it is human nature.
i try to tell myself when i go shopping - don't believe the marketing hype - don't get affected purely by brand name recognition.
-mouser (October 15, 2006, 08:33 PM)
--- End quote ---

We all do...and many don't realize to what extent they do.

How many times do you tell someone to "Google it"?

So many product names have become the substitute for the generic that many don't even realize they are brands or trademarked names any more.


* Brillo = steel wool soap pads.
* Q-tips = cotton tipped swabs.
* Cheez Whiz = processed cheese product
* Kitty Litter = cat box filler
* Band-Aid = plastic adhesive bandage
* Velcro = hook & loop tape
* Post-It Notes = sticky notes
* Scotch Tape = clear cellophane tape
* Duck Tape = duct tape
* Minute Rice = instant rice
* Oreos = chocolate sandwich cookies with white cream
* Coke = carbonated 'cola' beverage
* Saran Wrap = plastic wrap
* Windex = ammonia based glass cleaner
* Escalator = moving staircase
* Allen wrench = hexagonal screwdriver
* Crock-Pot = slow cooker
* Granola = oat and fruit mixture
* Hula Hoop - toy ring
* Linoleum = vinyl floor covering
* Touch-Tone = dual tone multi-frequency telephone signaling
* Yo-Yo = toy
* Lava lamp = decorative light
* Spam = canned pork product
* Ace bandage = cloth elastic bandage
* Alka-Seltzer = multi-purpose effervescent tablet
* Novocaine = local anesthetic
* Tylenol = pain reliever
* Advil = pain reliever
* Aqua-Lung = Scuba equipment
* Breathalyzer = breath alcohol analyzer
* Bubble Wrap = air-filled plastic packing material
* ChapStick = lip balm
* Ethernet = IEEE 802.3 LAN protocol
* Fig Newton = soft cake-like cookie filled with fig jam
* Jaws of Life = a rescue tool
* Jell-O = gelatin dessert
* Kleenex = packaged folded facial tissue paper
* Laundromat = self-service laundry
* Magic Marker = Felt-tip marker
* Phillips Screwdriver = screwdriver with a cross-pointed drive hole
* Play-Doh = commercial plastic modeling compound, clay-like
* Pop Tart = breakfast toaster pastry
* Rollerblade = inline skates
* Speedo = tight-fitting swimsuit
* Swiss Army Knife = a clasp-knife with multi-functional blades
* Thermos = vacuum flask
* Vaseline = petroleum jelly
* Windbreaker = light jacket
* X-Acto knife = sharp precision craft knife with short replaceable blades
* Zamboni = ice resurfacing machine
In the end, regardless of what brand of the actual product you use, in cases like this you still call it by its most recognizable brand name.

Could that be considered a success by a company? or perhaps a bit of a failure at the same time, since you call the competitors product by their brand name and buy the other product any way.

And then there is the risk that your trademark on your brand could be taken away and the term made legally generic, as in the case of 'aspirin' or 'bikini'

JavaJones:
Actually according to Wikipedia Georges de Mestral, the inventor of Velcro, did actually name it Velcro. So although you could say "velcro" is a form of "hook and loop tape", that would be like saying an automobile is a form of wheel and engine transport. ;) I think "duck tape" is also just a misconception/mispronunciation and although a brand name by that name does exist, I think it followed the pronunciation issues, not the other way around.

I did find out about a lot of new ones I hadn't expected, like novocaine, granola and escalator (the first is still trademarked, the latter used to be but aren't anymore).

Not surprisingly Wikipedia does have a rather comprehensive and info-packed page on "genericized trademarks". What's interesting is it seems like ultimately trademark owners don't have much ability to defend a trademark that has come so fully into popular and generic usage. As you said app, I wonder then if such trademarks are really effective anymore - I suppose Kleenex and Q-tip do really solidify those brands as "the" brand in their respective markets, but as you also said people refer to other company's products by the same names. Interesting stuff.

- Oshyan

Carol Haynes:
In the UK vacuum cleaners are pretty well known as Hoovers ... (just another one)

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