When I think back to my childhood, I can’t help but realize how clueless I was about branding, particularly that Colgate was actually a brand name for toothpaste. To me, and probably to many others I knew, Colgate was simply what we called toothpaste. I can still hear my mom and the other adults saying, “Go and buy Colgate,” without a second thought about the different names that might be on the tube I’d pick up. It wasn't until I was older that I understood Colgate wasn't just a generic term; it was a brand in its own right. The same went for Band-Aid. To my younger self, it wasn't just an adhesive bandage; it was the adhesive bandage. I never questioned it back then. Why would I? Everyone I knew called it that. I did not know anything about branding during those times.
Nutrela, a name synonymous with soya chunks, was another one of those brand names that just stuck. In boarding school, we used to prepare food in teams as a way to learn basic life skills, and whenever Nutrela was on the menu (soya chunks), we’d cook plenty of it since it was a go-to substitute for meat. We even came up with a nickname for Nutrela, calling it "soldier's meat" because the warden convinced us that soldiers ate Nutrela instead of meat, and we absolutely loved it. And who could forget the classic Xerox? I remember my teachers always asking, “Bring two copies of your homework and make sure you Xerox them.” It wasn’t until I was older that I discovered Xerox was a company, not the action of making a photocopy.
Now as a brand identity designer, I’ve come to realize that these childhood memories highlight a bigger trend where some brand names become so embedded in our daily lives that they replace the generic terms for those products. One reason for this transformation is that these brands were pioneers in their fields. Take Colgate, for instance—it's been around for over a hundred years and was one of the first names in oral hygiene. When a brand is the first to succeed, it often sets the standard for all others, and its name becomes synonymous with the product itself.
Simplicity in language also plays a huge role. Think about "Band-Aid"—it’s short, easy to say, and instantly recognizable. It just rolls off the tongue, making it the default word for adhesive bandages. The same goes for "Xerox," which is catchy and fits right into everyday conversation. Another example is Google; when we want to search for something online, we don’t just search—we "Google" it. When a brand name is this simple, it sticks in our minds and replaces the generic term.
Cultural influence is another big factor. Brands like "Google" and "Xerox" don’t just sell products—they’ve become a part of how we live. This level of influence is what every brand dreams of, but few actually achieve. However, there’s a catch: when a brand name becomes too synonymous with a product, it can lose its trademark protection. For example, "Escalator" was originally a brand name created by the Otis Elevator Company in the late 19th century. The trademark was revoked in 1950 because the term became too generic and widely used. Similarly, "Aspirin" started as a brand name by Bayer for its acetylsalicylic acid product. Over time, it turned into a generic term for any medication containing that ingredient. In the U.S., "Aspirin" is still a trademark of Bayer, but in other countries, it has become a common name for similar products, leading to legal disputes over its status.
These stories highlight the power of branding in shaping our thoughts and language. They show how brand names can become synonymous with their products, demonstrating their influence and cultural impact. As a brand identity designer, I’ve learned that the goal isn’t just to make a brand known; it’s about making it memorable, influential, and unique while protecting its identity in the market. The journey from a brand name to a synonym for a product is fascinating, but it requires careful effort to keep the brand strong and safeguarded.
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