A unique marketing
predicament where a
particular brand of a product becomes so common or dominant, its brand name becomes the generic term for the entire product category. Examples include Kleenex, Vaseline, Xerox, Windex and WD-40. Some trademarks have actually lost their legal
protection in the U.S, including Aspirin, Thermos and zipper.
#1: "Hand me a Kleenex, would you please? I'm all
stuffed up."
#2: "These are Puffs. Shouldn't you say 'facial tissue'?"
#1: "I just say Kleenex for all of them.
The brand has
committed genericide. Now just give me the damn Kleenex already, my nose is dripping!"