
When you need a tissue, do you ask for a tissue, or for a Kleenex? When you’re ordering a drink at a fast-food restaurant, do you ask for a cola, or a Coke? What about when you cut yourself? Do you look for a plastic bandage, or a Band-Aid?
These terms are known as proprietary eponyms, and they’re the apex of brand awareness. These brands have become so well-known, they...