what's marketing speak for when a brand name becomes part of normal language, like hoover?

Question

wikipedia says its a "genericized brand" or "proprietory eponym" but I'm sure there was a simpler phrase in common usage.

Ah! "household name" - how did I forget that - BUT there was something else, the kind of phrase that marketing types like to say...

Answer 1

This is when brand names becomes synonymous with a specific product category's and in some case (Hoover) an activity ("doing the hoovering"), or when people ask for a coke instead of cola. Other products/services which have captured the consumers' mind-share are: doing a google instead searching the internet (sorry yahoo) or owing a Walkman - instead of personal stereo. In the 80's Xerox had to legally prevent advertisers from referring to "making a Xerox" when they meant making a photocopy. The last case illustrates that you have to protect your brand name from miss use or risk losing it to the English dictionary. Back to your original question I am not aware of a single word that sums this up, but Richard Dawkin's in The Selfish Gene introduced the "Meme": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meme

Answer 2

Proprietary eponym is the correct term for a product's brand name reverting into a common noun (eponymous), but it might just be easier saying it is an eponym.

Answer 3

A couple sites below- also support the idea that generic or genericide are the terms - and are the ones that I've heard most often with the classic cases of Kleenex, Xerox, etc.

Answer 4

a household name or brand

Answer 5

It becomes the generic brand

Answer 6

yes the phase is 'media basta***' or doing a good job.
really turn off your tv and try and find something to buy, where a cash register isnt involved, go and barter for something befor its too late

Answer 7

maybe the pharse you are looking for is " house hold name" like hoover and blackndecker and kraft are house hold names.

Answer 8

"household name"

Answer 9

brandification