Using Brand Names as Adjectives

I hate it.

Someone is going to Google that word.

Or Swiffer that floor.

Or Osterize that daquiri.

Urk! I caught a case of the brainhurt!

Oh man, you have no idea how much that bothers me. I hate when people say "I'll google that" because that's not even an applicable word. I am far from a grammar Nazi, but come on...even toddlers could come up with a better word then that.

I also hate when people call tissue: Kleenex when the tissue isn't that brand. I mean, can't we all realize how silly this is?

You have to give them credit though.

It is the highest goal of a marketing / PR team to have their product become the word for the action.

Once that brand association is in place, it becomes nearly a subliminal reaction of consumers to buy that brand first because of it's close association with the product line.

Think Kleenex, Hoover vacuum cleaners.

I do agree though, It is damn annoying.

Originally posted by fooffstarr
You have to give them credit though.

It is the highest goal of a marketing / PR team to have their product become the word for the action.

And that is exactly why it bugs me

Some brand names are so commonplace, you've just got to accept them...

Right, I'm off to "hoover" the carpet.

Yeah, it is EXCELLENT PR, however. It is a little annoying when I say I'm going to mop the floor and people stare at me until someone says "oh you mean Swiffer!"

That's retarded, I don't even have a Swiffer. I did once, but I thought it sucked.

I'm guilty of "swiffering" the floor but only when using the actual Swiffer product, because I do mop, sweep and vacuum too. I just "Swiffer" on the in between days..

oh and my grandmother calls all brands of toothpaste "Colgate"

I have used "Googled," but like you, onyl when I was actually using that web site.

I knew someone who caled all sterios "Sonies." Can't remember who, though.

Believe it or not, I've never heard anyone do that. Perhaps it's a coastal thing?

[edit on 6-1-2009 by The Scarecrow]

I've only heard the Google one.

But look, dictionary.reference.com...

It says Google is a verb.

Originally posted by The Scarecrow
Believe it or not, I've never heard anyone do that. Perhaps it's a coastal thing?

[edit on 6-1-2009 by The Scarecrow]

I am not on the Coast though. I think it has more to do with mass marketing.

reply to post by enjoies05


:uzih you've got to be effing me!

I wasn't expecting it either.