Trademarks Used As Generic Terms

Have you heard this line already? Well, it’s quite popular here in the Philippines. It is translated as “may I buy Colgate, the Close-up one.” But for your information, Colgate is not Close-up. They are both trademarks of toothpaste. Bullfrog Spa is not Jacuzzi. Arborite is not Formica. Waverunner Superjet is not Jet Ski. Avene is not Chapstick. Stabilo Boss is not Sharpie. We just incorrectly termed hot tub as Jacuzzi, plastic laminate as Formica, stand-up personal watercraft as Jet Ski, lip balm as Chapstick and highlighter as Sharpie. That’s how we call things right now, huh? Well, scroll down for more trademarks used as generic terms.

When we open our laptop or whatever, open a web browser and see Google, it’s already evident that Google is a proper noun. It’s neither a common noun nor a verb. But because of the trademark’s popularity and dominance, the word Google will be synonymous to the word search. Try googling it on Bing.

 

Band Aid

I know this is Mediplast. And there are other names like Elastoplast, Curad and Nexcare. But why do we call them generically as Band-Aid, which is also a brand of adhesive bandages produced by Johnson & Johnson’s? If you
don’t know why, well, I also don’t know. I just got used to it.

 

Scotch Tape

When I was younger, I really thought that duct tape is the one that strongly adheres, masking tape is the one that is easy to tear, electric tape is the one we attach to cords, double-sided tape is the one that is sticky on both sides and Scotch tape is the clear one. OMG! Scotch tapes is a
brand by 3M and is a type of cellophane tape. I didn’t know that it is its common name!

 

Coke

You have to admit that whenever you see a black carbonated drink in a bottle without an attached brand tag, you will assume that it is a Coke, right? Coke, also known as Coca-Cola, dominates the beverage industry in this planet. It is indeed a well-known brand so you can’t blame us if we call all sodas as Coke.

 

Tupperware

Remember when I told you in my blog post, Sticking To One Brand, that when it comes to food storage, my family uses Lock & Lock. Now, I apologize because we dub Lock & Lock as Tupperware. Please don’t blame us. Blame the world for teaching us that Lock & Lock is a type of a Tupperware, where in fact, you are brands of plastic container.

 

Xerox

I remember my middle school teacher always correcting us, her students, whenever we tell her that we’re going to xerox her lectures. It’s photocopy. Xerox is a brand of photocopying machine. She would say. And I’m thankful that she taught me that because I don’t want to mention it to my college professors or else, I will put myself into shame.

 

Cutex

In my nail art tutorials, the Cutex I use are OMG, Forever 21’s Love and Beauty, Caronia, Bobbie and usually the local ones. Oh did I just say Cutex? I’m sorry but Cutex are not among the nail polishes I use. I just call them Cutex because my mother calls them Cutex and the manicurist calls them Cutex. Everyone in my country calls them Cutex.

 

Colgate

“Pabili pong Colgate, ‘yung Close-up.” This famous line is always and unintentionally stated by Filipinos when buying toothpaste in sari-sari store. Are you one of them? If yes, then you just made the storekeeper confused. He won’t know whether you really want a Colgate toothpaste or a Close-up toothpaste because you mentioned both.

 

Pampers

Another famous line we, Filipinos, unintentionally blurt out in front of a sari-sari store is “Pabili po ng Pampers, ‘yung Huggies.” Are

you serious? Are you going to buy these two brands of diaper? Or maybe, you meant to buy Huggies diaper and you just altered the word diaper to a known brand of it here in the Philippines, which is Pampers.

 

Orocan

Oops! I’m sorry if the photo is blurry. I was trying to capture this in crowded mall. The salesladies were looking at me and I felt shy so I made this quick. Anyway, Orocan is a trademark that manufactures drawers, cabinets, basins and other household items out of plastic. We sometimes define fake people as plastic. Here in the Philippines, we also call them Orocan.