BRAND NAMES ARE USED TO DISTINGUISH PRODUCTS AND SERVICES IN THE MARKET. The main purpose is to create not just a product, but an identifying name, an entity that is not only tangible but has a real purpose for consumers. It is that tenacity that gives the product its boldness and distinctive imagery. It separates the end user from the manufacturer and marketer.
That said, some brands take over our daily lives. They are personified to the extent that they become part of our vocabulary without prior notice. By using brands, we actually mean verbalizing it on a daily basis rather than consuming the product. Here are the 10 most used brands in the world:
1. Google– The implicit definition of the brand is: ‘search’. There are many search engines on the Internet, but Google seems to find a niche for itself and we are stuck with the so-called verb. If you are in doubt about the fact that this search engine is widely known, then Google it!
two. FedEx– The implicit definition of FedEx is: ‘ship’. This company is an international courier service with branches all over the world and people use this service extensively to send packages for domestic and business purposes. However, we have become accustomed to the service to the extent that everything that is forwarded is classified as ‘FedEx’. Ironically, we even come across ‘fexdexing’ packages from competing shipping companies without even understanding the rhetoric behind the imperceptible confusion in that operation.
3. Scotch tape– The implicit definition of Duck Tape is: “Secure it firmly”. Many people may not know that Duck Tape is really a brand and not just strong duct tape that only secures things. Known for being invented since WWII, Duck tape’s ability to tie together history and standards over the years is indicative of its true characteristics.
Every tape we use to keep water out and secure a package tightly is considered “duct tape”, but we don’t know that it could be another brand. Some manufacturers are smart enough to use the name “duct tape” so as not to stray from the original name. That is a complicated situation!
Four. Adhesive dressing– The implicit definition is: ‘Cover the wound’. Anything we use to cover cuts is most often classified as a Band-Aid. This world famous portable medical adhesive bandage was invented in the 1920s. This happened when an employee of a famous pharmaceutical company found his wife, frequently injured while cooking. The idea faded when they found a safe way to cover the injury and, years later, Band Aid became America’s number one first aid friend.
Athletes can also be seen applying these small strips to cuts and bruises during sporting events. However, there are hundreds of sanitary strips that are available in the market but one gets used to the name of this little adhesive giant and although many competitors are overlooked while using their products, there is nothing we can do to put one ‘ Band-Aid ” in this topic.
5. Armor All– The implicit definition is: ‘interior cleanliness, protection and shine’. If you just ‘Armor All’ the car, just have the interior cleaned and polished. Even if you’ve used turtle wax, which by the way is a second brand to look out for, people use this brand a lot.
Armor All is an acceptable cleaner for your vehicle. I say tolerable as it is soft on vinyl and rubber finishes. In addition, it is soluble in water and has an odor that everyone can identify. However, this brand may not be widely used as its name, but those who have actually used the product and are satisfied with it will continue to tout its wonders.
6. Tenoner– The implicit definition is: ‘Newspaper’. Contrary to popular belief, Gleaner is not the generic name of a newspaper, it is a brand name and many people adopt the name and call all newspapers “Gleaner”. Some publishers stick to the beginning and give it their local name along with the attached tile or “Gleaner” brand name.
Gleaner, by the way, is the name given to the crops that are harvested to collect them. Jamaica was the first country to name its newspaper ‘Gleaner’ in 1834. Thereafter, this document spread throughout North America and the entire world. The next time you shop for a newspaper, remember that Gleaner is not the product name, but the brand name given to widely used informational newsprint.
7. Aspirin– The implicit definition is: ‘antidote to headache’. Have you ever had a headache and said you were going to take an aspirin? The chances are, 9 times out of 10; the medicine we take is not brand name Aspirin. Aspirin is the name of a medicine that is taken to relieve headaches and pain. There are literally hundreds of headache and pain pills on the market that people take, but aspirin takes all the credit.
8. Kleenex– The implicit definition is: “hand towel for the car or the home”. Sometimes I wonder if we are aware that the name is not necessarily Kleenex, but we use it for convenience. This name has been around long enough that we can use another substitute. However, whoever started this mess has to “Kleenex” before it becomes a legal problem.
9. Laundry– The implicit definition is: “the place where clothes are washed, cleaned and dried”. If you are in the business of cleaning clothes, you have the right to name it whatever you like. The catch is that the Laundromat name easily identifies what the business is about.
Laundry is surprisingly a brand and not the generic name for your laundry cleaning operation. So 10 times out of 10 when someone is asked where they are going, the answer would be ‘laundromat’, even if you name the company ‘Betty’s Cleaning Company’.
10. Touch tone– The implicit definition is: ‘anything that encodes dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signals. We have used that brand for years until we got used to the name, but surprisingly, it is a brand invented by AT&T. Many telecommunications companies use tone functions in their operations to facilitate communication.
I don’t know if the use of the phrase connotes any infringement of the company’s trademark law, but the phrase itself can be found in the dictionary and that could exonerate any likely possibility of legal action.
When it comes to brand duplication and substitution, Xerox, which is interpreted as any photocopy or duplicate paper, is widely used in offices that go unnoticed. There is an expression that says: words are the wind, but the above examples of marks show that some words are extremely powerful winds.
Naming a product is bringing it to life and when we become part of that family, we give a whole new meaning to the product brand and image. Everything has gone into creating and marketing our products and services, and since it is part of our daily routine, we are now able to create a dictionary with standard meanings rather than implicit interpretations for these frequently mentioned brands.
