Understanding Genericide: How Brands Lose Their Identity

As product managers, we’re constantly striving to build and maintain a strong brand. Recently, when I said the golden three words “Let’s google it” something changed within me about my understanding of brand names.

The crucial aspect of understanding the concept of “genericide” struck me – the phenomenon where a brand name becomes so common that it loses its trademark protection and becomes a generic term.

Genericide also called proprietary eponyms occurs when a brand name becomes synonymous with a general product or service category. For example, when people say “Google” to mean searching the internet or “WhatsApp/snapchat” for any messaging action. Once a brand name falls into common usage to describe a type of product, it can lose its trademark protection. This means competitors can legally use the brand name, diluting the brand’s value.

Why Does Genericide Happen?

Market Dominance: When a brand is a market leader, it often becomes the default term for that product. The convenience and familiarity lead to widespread adoption of the brand name in place of the product name.

Marketing Strategies: Ironically, successful marketing campaigns can accelerate genericide. When a brand’s name is heavily promoted and becomes entrenched in consumer language, it risks becoming a generic term.

Language Evolution: Natural changes in language and consumer behavior can cause a brand name to become a generic term. As people seek shorthand terms, they often default to well-known brand names.

Some Famous Examples of Genericide that I could think of are:

Fevicol: A brand of adhesive, “Fevicol” has become a generic term for any type of strong glue or adhesive.

Xerox: This brand became synonymous with photocopying. People often say “Xerox” instead of “photocopy,” regardless of the actual brand of the copier.

In the digital realm, certain brand names have become so ubiquitous that they are at risk of genericide, or are already being used generically. Here are some notable examples:

Google: “Google” is often used as a verb meaning to search for something online, regardless of the search engine used. For instance, people say, “I’ll Google it,” even if they are using Bing or another search engine.

Photoshop: “Photoshop” is widely used as a verb meaning to edit or manipulate an image, regardless of the software being used. For example, “This image looks Photoshopped” can refer to edits made with any image editing tool, not just Adobe Photoshop.

Skype: Similar to Zoom, “Skype” became a verb for making video calls or internet-based voice calls. Even with the rise of other platforms, people still say, “I’ll Skype you” to mean a video call on any service.

GPay: In the digital payments space, it is often used generically to describe online money transfers, even when other services like For instance, “I’ll GPay you the money” can be used even if another platform is actually being used.

Slack: For workplace communication, “Slack” has become a generic term for using team messaging tools. People might say, “Slack me the details,” even if they’re using Microsoft Teams or another platform.

Snapchat: In everyday conversation, people tend to use shorthand terms. Saying “I’ll snap you” has become common, which can erode the brand’s unique identity over time.

Genericide is a significant risk for strong brands, but it’s not an inevitable fate. By understanding the factors that lead to genericide and taking proactive steps to educate consumers and protect your brand, you can maintain your brand’s identity and value. As product managers, we must remain vigilant and strategic, ensuring that our brands remain distinct and protected in the marketplace.