Genericized

The process by which a brand name or trademark is used to refer to an entire class of products or services, even if those products or services are made by different companies. This often occurs when a brand becomes so widely recognized and associated with a particular type of item that its name becomes synonymous with the item itself in the public consciousness. Eventually, its legal protection can erode leading it to be utilized in the common language for that particular function.

Genericized meaning with examples

• Kleenex, originally a brand of facial tissue, has become so ubiquitous that people commonly ask for 'Kleenex' regardless of the actual brand they desire. This widespread use of 'Kleenex' represents a classic example of the word becoming genericized, often making the original trademark difficult to protect.
• The term 'Xerox' initially referred only to Xerox photocopiers, the word was then genericized. Now, people often say they will 'Xerox' a document, even if they're using a copier made by Canon or Ricoh, indicating how the brand became shorthand for the action of photocopying.
• Band-Aid, originally a specific brand of adhesive bandages, has been genericized to such a degree that many people refer to any adhesive bandage as a 'Band-Aid,' regardless of the manufacturer. This reflects the brand's cultural impact and how it shaped our vernacular.
• The word 'zipper' which evolved from the original 'B.F. Goodrich' rubber zipper, then evolved from the 'Hookless Fastener Company' and finally to the 'Universal Fastener Company' product; zipper. 'Zipper' is a perfect example of a once-trademarked invention that is now a common noun in all languages across the world.