(2017), according to https://eu.usatoday.com/story/money/2017/09/26/velcros-video...
They're trying to avoid genericide. I think if they didn't do this, they could actually lose the trademark.
They're trying to avoid genericide. I think if they didn't do this, they could actually lose the trademark.
I mean in most cases where a term becomes "generic" it has been long time generic before at some point someone bothers to make a study/lawsuit which declares it as generic as result.
For example pretty much everyone I know uses Lego as a generic term and knows about not Lego produced bricks. Currently Lego still managed to defend the trademark but IMHO it's just a matter of time until it becomes generic because it already defacto is and the only reason they still avoid it becoming generic is protectionism.
After all there are regions where all soda is called “coke” and that trademark hasn’t been lost.
"Coca-Cola", however, is distinctive on its own and is trademarkable as such.
That wouldn’t be relevant unless you were actually talking about the form of coal.
Although many people say in shorthand that "[word] is trademarked.", trademarks are not “on a word” they’re on a particular use of a word. “coke” when referring to a beverage is mostly not a generic word. (Except maybe in the southern US :) )
For example "Apple" is trademarked in reference to computer hardware/software, etc. It isn't in reference to the fruit.
https://www.gerbenlaw.com/trademarks/food-companies/coca-col...
Trademarks are all about context. Exxon used to have a cartoon tiger as a mascot who sometimes looked a bit like Tony the Tiger. This was usually fine because the contexts were pretty different, one was for foods and one was for gasoline, radically different product markets. However, once Exxon started using their cartoon tiger mascot to sell the foods in the TigerMart convenience stores Kellog sued them and won.
https://www.forbes.com/2000/10/17/1017forbes500.html?sh=6a04...
If I go to a restaurant and ask for "Coke" they're not going to get confused and grab me some coal. I'd be pretty confused to open a red 12oz can that says Coke on it and find it full of coal dust. Nobody is confusing these products.