Trade marks / brand names
You have used a trade mark (or brand name) incorrectly. The companies that own Kodak, Barbie Dolls, Microsoft, IBM and other well-known trade marks and brand names, have legal teams working full-time making sure authors, journalists and publishers use their trade marks correctly. Some brand names and trade marks are worth billions, and they must protect these valuable properties. The brand name Coca-Cola, is in the balance sheet at US$67 billon. Journalists should act correctly and use trade marks (or brand names) 100% correctly. After all, you would not like to be called "whatsisname" instead of your own name. Remember, you may not need to use the trade mark and perhaps a generic name or description would do as well. But usually it's better to be specific and use the brand. But if you DO use a trade mark, get it right - capitals, punctuation, spaces or no spaces, spelling. Don't make a mistake: editors are hugely unimpressed by freelancers who misspell famous brand names. And don't pluralise a brand name, such as writing Cokes or Harley-Davidsons. Instead say "cans of Coke" or Harley-Davidson motorcycles". Coke is a brand name but Cokes is not a brand name. In Australian journalism, there is no need to insert the ? sign for "trade mark" nor any need to insert the sign for "registered trade mark". To do a quick check of a trade mark, go to your phone directory, or the internet or both. Meanwhile, here's a partial guide to correct use:
Wrong use
Correct use
Generic use
aero-guard
Aerogard
aerosol insect repellent
Adidas
adidas
sportswear
aqualung
Aqualung
underwater breathing gear
aspro
Aspro
aspirin
astroturf
AstroTurf
artificial grass
band-aid, or, Band-Aid
Band-aid
adhesive bandage
barby doll
Barbie Doll
popular dress-able doll
benneton
Benetton (full name: The United Colors of Benetton)
controversial fashion house
Beyond Blue
beyondblue
organisation fighting depression
biro
Biro
ballpoint pen
bobcat
Bobcat
skid-steer loader (work vehicle)
Boheme
Bohme
snow skis
boxercise
Boxercise
exercise with boxing movements
brethalyzer
Breathalyzer
breath tester for blood/alcohol level
cellophane
Cellophane
transparent wrapping
chevy
Chevy
(short for Chevrolet)
American-made vehicle
coke, or, Coca Cola
Coke, or, Coca-Cola
popular cola drink
cyclone
Cyclone
chain-link fence
Drizabone, or, Driza-bone
Driza-Bone
Australian oilskin coat
dumpster
Dumpster
large waste receptacle
Dunn and Brad Street
Dun & Bradstreet
company that provides a ratings directory and credit reports of corporations
Dunking Doughnuts
Dunkin' Donuts
US chain of doughnut shops
duco
Duco
paint on a car, or, car paint
Ebay
eBay, but sometimes EBay if it starts a sentence
online auction business
Elasto-plaster
Elastoplast
sports injury bandages
esky, or, eskies
Esky, or, Eskys
food and drink cooler
ferris wheel
Ferris wheel
Not a brand-name. But since it is named after the US engineer GWG Ferris, it is more correct to use capital F (as "Time" insists), though small f is accepted in Australia
formica
Formica
laminated plastic
frisbee or frisbie
Frisbee
plastic flying disco
game-boys
Game Boy
hand-held computer toy
gladwrap
Glad Wrap
clear soft plastic wrapping
go kart
Go Kart
2- or 4-stroke low level racing vehicle
Gortex
Gor-Tex
weatherproof clothing
Hagen Dazz
Hagen-Dazs
specialty ice-cream chain store
Harly Davison
Harley-Davidson
American-made motorcycle
Hewlett Packard
Hewlett-Packard
computer and software company
hoover
Hoover
vacuum cleaner
Hungary Jacks
Hungry Jack's
hamburger restaurant chain
Jack Daniels
Jack Daniel's whiskey
famous old Tennessee whiskey
jet ski
Jet Ski
jet-powered watercraft for one or two people
Johnson and Johnson
Johnson + Johnson
makers of personal items and medications
Kentucky Fried Chicken
Kfc
chicken fast food outlet
kleenex
Kleenex
paper handkerchief or soft paper tissues
K-Mart
Kmart
chain of inexpensive homewares stores
laundromat
Laundromat
self-service laundry
Leggos
Leggo's
packaged spaghetti sauce
leggo
Lego
toy building blocks
levies, or levis
Levi's
jeans
Light and Easy
Lite n' Easy
cooked meals, home-delivered, on a diet plan
lycra
Lycra
spandex fibre clothing
M and Ms
M&M's
candy-coated chocolates
MacDonalds
McDonald's
hamburger restaurant chain
mace
Mace
tear gas
masonite
Masonite
hardboard products
mixmaster
Mixmaster
food mixer
muzak
Muzak
piped music
Myers
Myer
department store chain
Nestles
Nestl
brand name of many food products
novocain
Novocain
novocaine, or anesthetic
perspex
Perspex
transparent plastic
Pepsi-Cola
Pepsi (Pepsi-Cola is correct but no longer used)
popular cola drink
Pin-A-Clean
Pine O Cleen
pine-scented multi-purpose liquid cleaning agent
polaroid
Polaroid
instant photo equipment
post-it
Post-it
stick-on notes
pressure pack
Pressure-pak
aerosol can, or pressurised container
primus
Primus
pressurised kerosene stove
pyrex or pyrox
Pyrex
heat-resistant glassware
Quantas or Q.A.N.T.A.S.
Qantas
Australian airline
Raggedy-Anne
Raggedy Ann
child's doll
Ritz Carlton
Ritz-Carlton
worldwide chain of luxury hotels
rollerblades
Rollerblades
in-line roller-skates
Rolls Royce
Rolls-Royce
luxury British car
scotch tape
Scotch Tape
clear adhesive tape
Spiderman
Spider-Man
superhero with powers of a spider
tabasco
Tabasco
hot sauce
teflon
Teflon
non-stick coating
texta
Texta
felt tip pens in many colours
Thermarest
Therm-a-Rest
self-inflating camping mattress
thermos
Thermos
vacuum flask
Thrifty rental cars
Thrifty Car Rentals
well-known vehicle rental company
(no wrong use)
Ugg or Ugh (boots). Also correct: uggs, ug boots, uggboots (one word), ugg shoe or ugh boots.
Ugg or ugh was generic for boots made of sheepskin with the fleece inside. But in 2004 an American company trade-marked "Ugg" and "Ugh" as its own.
vaseline
Vaseline
petroleum jelly
velcro
Velcro
hook and loop fastener
VirginBlue
Virgin Blue
no frills airline
Vodaphone
Vodafone
mobile phone service provider
Walmart
Wal*Mart or Wal-Mart
US retail store chain
walkman
Walkman
Portable cassette (or CD) player
Weightwatchers
Weight Watchers
weight loss program
Wet and Wild
Wet 'n' Wild
Gold Coast theme park
windcheater
Windcheater
wind jacket
zerox
Xerox
photocopier
4X
Xxxx
famous Queensland beer