TOM or Just Plain Genericide?

If you walk into a generalstore in Pakistan and ask forSurf, the response from theshopkeeper is likely to be‘Kaunsa wala?’ (‘Which one?’).

Without even realising it,you used a brand name toidentify what you are seekingwithout necessarily wantingthe actual brand you named.The fact is that we all tendto subconsciously use brandnames to refer to genericproducts that we are looking for.From a marketing perspective,it feels like a dream come true – your brand name has turnedinto a category identifier. It isalso not uncommon to usebrand names in phrases suchas “Easypaisa kar do,” “Yeh walaSurf acha hai“ or “Yeh walayPampers theek nahi hain“ – andpeople will understand exactlywhat you mean. If you say“Mospel laga lo” they know youmean apply mosquito repellentand not “use Mospel.” Thishappens when Top of Mind(TOM) scores are high. Whetheror not this is a good thing in thelong run is another matter.

Is Tom a Good Thing

TOM awareness is a keymarketing goal. The more thebrand recall, the higher thechances of it driving preferenceand sales. When peopleassociate a product categorywith a brand, it indicates marketleadership and deep-rootedbrand equity. It also benefits fromincreased consumer trust andrepeat purchases.

There is, however, a fine linebetween dominance and dilution.When a brand name becomesso embedded in people’s dailylanguage and replaces theproduct category name, it risksturning into a generic term – thepoint at which the brand losesdistinction and instead of beinga name that refers to a specificbrand due to its quality andattributes, it becomes anotherword in the dictionary. Pamperswas one of the first baby diaperbrands in Pakistan and hasnow become synonymous withdisposable nappies. Similarly,Elfy has become a categoryidentifier for any super glue(Super Glue itself is a brand thathas gone generic).

More Common Than You Would Expect

Brand names turning intogeneric product names is notunique to Pakistan, and thereare several global examples.Take Jacuzzi – originally afamily-owned company thatinvented the modern-day hot tub in the fifties. The brandbecame so dominant that peoplestarted referring to all hot tubsas Jacuzzis, regardless of themanufacturer. Similarly, Velcrois a company that inventedthe classic fuzzy and scratchyfasteners in 1941. Then, dueto its widespread use in shoesand bags, people began callingall such fasteners Velcro. Thisbecame a big concern for thecompany, and they createda campaign called ‘Don’t SayVelcro’ to remind people that thename refers to a specific brandand not the product itself.

A popular adhesive productoriginally manufactured by 3Mand marketed under the brandname Scotch Tape becameso popular that people startedreferring to any clear plasticbased tape as scotch tape.Then there was the movingstaircase that was developedby the Otis Elevator Companyin 1900 and branded ‘Escalator’.Today, the word escalator is usedgenerically around the world to refer to moving stairs. Othersuch examples include BandAid, Popsicle, Thermos, Q-Tip,Bubble Wrap, Frisbee, HulaHoop, Jet Ski and Styrofoam.

Or a Bad Thing

According to US trademarklaws, when a brand namebecomes commonly used, itcan lose its legal trademarkprotection, a process referredto as ‘genericide’ (the processwhere a trademark or brandname becomes a commonnoun or general term for aproduct or service, losing itsexclusive brand recognitionand potentially its trademarkprotection – defined by Google).Trademarks exist to protectbrand identity, ensuring thatonly the owner can use thename for commercial benefit.The most serious consequenceof genericide is when the brandname enters the public domain,meaning competitors canlegally use it – allowing them tocapitalise on the brand equity ithas built up.

What Can Be Done About It?

Becoming a household nameis a mark of success – but forbrands, it is also a delicatebalance between marketleadership and losing control.When a name becomes soingrained in everyday languagethat it replaces the product categoryitself, it’s both a sign of dominanceand a potential branding risk. Thekey for brands is to embrace theirinfluence while safeguarding theiridentity by actively reinforcing theirdistinct brand positioning. The realpower is not in being rememberedbut in being recognised as thepreferred choice.

Branding is about morethan a name – it is about theexperience. Brands that standthe test of time are not onlythose that people remember;they are the ones that peopleactively choose every time.

Alyan Khan-Yusufzai is anadvertising practitioner with over adecade of experience in multipleregional markets.