Genericide: Say My Name

Ever ask for a Kleenex instead of a tissue? Google something instead of searching online? That’s called genericide—when a trademarked brand name becomes so popular, it turns into the generic word for the product itself.In this episode of Waywut, Darrell and Jason unpack the strange, hilarious, and occasionally tragic stories of brands that became victims of their own success.🧻 Inside this episode:The real stories behind Kleenex, Band-Aid, Frisbee, Jacuzzi, Hacky Sack, and moreA game show-style quiz to separate real brand names from generic fakesHow companies fight to keep their trademarks legally protectedWeird origin stories: bubble wrap was meant to be wallpaper?!Corporate trademark horror stories and ridiculous generic substitutes like “epinephrine autoinjector”Why genericide is both a marketing dream and a legal nightmareIf you’ve ever used a brand name as a verb, noun, or lifestyle… this episode is speaking your language.👉 Follow Waywut for weekly episodes about weird history, dark humor, trivia, and the strange rabbit holes we all fall into.