Defintion | Meaning
- The process by which a trademark becomes synonymous with its associated category, to the point it may cease to be legally protectable.
Example | Illustration
- Google brand search engine > ‘to google’
- Rollerblade brand inline skates > ‘to rollerblade’
- Xerox brand photocopier > ‘to xerox’
Note
- To a trademark attorney, genericide is a major headache, but, to a marketing professional, it can be the classic good problem to have. It means that your offering is dominating its category, and you must pair your brand name with an existing or new category descriptor.