Every time you write Kleenex,a lawyer gets his wings

In 1920, Kimberly-Clark, a Wisconsin paper company, became the first to offer a disposable handkerchief. They called it Kleenex.

Now a lot of people call it that, too. And that’s a problematic victory.

Unlike in 1920, today there are lots of brands of facial tissue, but only one is called Kleenex. It’s a Registered Trademark. As long as it remains a distinctive product name, no other company can use it. You start advertising Joe’s Pink Pop-up kleenex and a lawyer is going to have a chat with you.
Companies have to protect their trademarks and they’ve gone to all sorts of lengths to do it.

Newspapers large and small have received missives from lawyers noting that Kleenex is a Registered Trademark. Many companies have taken out ads in trade magazines for journalism and advertising reminding writers and editors that their trademarks should not be misused. The one thing you don’t want with a Registered Trademark is that the word or phrase becomes generic.
It’s not a trivial matter since companies spend millions to create and defend their products.

So, as a reminder:
– Botox is not “a generic term for botulinum toxin.”

– Inline skates are not all Rollerblades and you must not write that you went rollerblading.

– Bleach is just bleach unless you are actually using Clorox.

– TABASCO is a seasoning made by the McIlhenny Company and is not to be confused with other little spicy bottles of sauce.

– You can be stuck on Band-Aid brand, but not every bandage stuck on you is a Band-Aid.