http://www.corecommerce.com/blog/the-importance-of-building-a-brand-name/

Yes, a brand name is important as Kris Graffagnino also mentions in his blog. Companies invest millions of dollars to make a brand and advertise it, but to what extend would they want to do this?

When you spill orange juice on the table, you’d ask for Kleenex instead of tissue－ without giving much consideration that what you asked for a brand and not a product. Some brand names have become so overused by consumers that they replace the product name: Band-Aid, Sharpie, Jell-O, etc…

Isn’t this a success? First of all, this shows how much this product has influenced its culture and how recognized and trusted it is. Secondly, this could capture consumers from older generations or consumers who do not wish to risk getting anything new. It automatically seems to be part of the consumer’s evoked set thus have higher chances of being purchased.

However, according to a 2012 April article in Taipei Times, companies fear its brand name becoming generic even though they invest in so much to be a recognized and acceptable brand by customers. This is because some companies have lost its trademarks for the brand name, allowing companies to legally use it. For example, aspirin, escalator, yo-yo, and zipper lost its rights as a trademark.

Kleenex and Band-Aid have tried different marketing strategies from becoming generic. They have put “Kleenex Brand” and “Band-Aid Brand” as their label on their product so as not to be forgotten that they are still trademarks.

Every day new products and new brands are emerging in the market. Now whether the brand name would stay as one all depends on how the companies balance their brand name as one that is well-known and at the same time not been taken for granted

http://www.corecommerce.com/blog/the-importance-of-building-a-brand-name/

http://inventors.about.com/b/2006/01/29/when-a-brand-name-becomes-generic-genericized-trademarks.htm