Klarinet Archive - Posting 000396.txt from 2002/01

From: Bill Hausmann <bhausmann1@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Just a little fun FYI
Date: Mon, 14 Jan 2002 20:16:14 -0500

At 01:05 PM 1/14/2002 -0500, "Robert" wrote:
> >From Dee Hays, <<"Saran Wrap" is a specific brand of plastic wrap and thus
>should be
>capitalized to indicate that. However, like many other names, it often gets
>applied in a generic sense.>>
>
>We had an interesting week back in 1988 when I was a manager of the
>Lynnhaven 8 Theaters in Virginia Beach, Virginia (USA) when the General
>Manager asked us in a manager's meeting how many name trademarked items that
>had become so popular that their brand name had become the commonly used
>name of the generic item. Here are some we came up with: (please keep in
>mind, they are subjective because one person may suggest an item and another
>insists that "they" never call it by that name)
>
>Kleenex (facial tissue), Q-Tips (cotton swabs), Vaseline (petroleum jelly),
>Vise-grips (adjustable locking pliers), Phillips screwdriver (?-sorry,
>drawing a blank), and I believe Crescent Wrench was a trademark name
>(adjustable wrench) but am in no way sure on that one, Jell-o (gelatin),
>Jeep (jeep? LOL), Band-aid (plastic [adhesive?] bandage), Kool-aid (this
>one may have gone the wayside but was surely the rage in 1988--flavored
>instant drink), Walkman (pocket-sized cassette-tape player, now including
>various other devices), Saran Wrap (plastic wrap), for a relatively brief
>while IBM was synonomous with PCs as well ("Do you have an Apple or IBM?"
>where IBM could be any brand of personal computer not Apple.) For just an
>instant, it seemed that "Bic" (or was it Bik?) was trying to replace
>"lighter" when their ad campaign was in full swing.
>
>There are actually many more. Can you think of any?

Scotch Tape is a double! It is, of course, the 3M company's trade name for
adhesive cellophane tape. But Cellophane is ITSELF one of those trade-name
products that actually LOST its status as a trade name by becoming TOO
generic. This is why companies are now very careful to craft a descriptive
alternative name, like "personal digital assistant" to attach to "Palm
Pilot." I believe you are correct on Crescent Wrench. I believe even
"phonograph" might qualify (Columbia called theirs "Graphophone" in the
early days). "Victrola" is for sure, since it actually refers only to
those models made by the Victor Talking Machine Company that had the horn
cleverly folded into the cabinet so it could not be seen. If it has a big
visible horn, it is NOT a Victrola by definition, but everyone still calls
them that. It is less common now, but many people used to use the word
"Frigidaire" to refer to ANY refrigerator. I'm sure we have just scratched
the surface here...

Bill Hausmann bhausmann1@-----.net
451 Old Orchard Drive
Essexville, MI 48732 ICQ UIN 4862265

If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is TOO LOUD!

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