Brand Name Confusion

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

Allright, allright. Many of us call tissues Kleenex. Q-Tips and Coke are brand names that have worked their way into the collective unconscious.

But I have a friend who calls paper towels ‘Scott Towels.’ Scott is a major paper product manufacturer, sure. But they manufacture more than just paper towels … and I’ve never heard anyone but him refer to them this way. He says his family always called them that.

I’m curious as to how widespread this particular brand-name substitution is … because it makes no sense to me. Anybody else call’em Scott Towels?

2

The paper towels - Scott Towels bit is understandable as Arthur Scott was the inventor of disposable paper towels in 1907.

3

Do you watch many programs on your Philovision?

And in the case of most brand name substitutions I’ve seen, the brand name replaces the entire name of the product. (cotton ear swab - > Q-Tip, not Q-Tip Swab.) Replacing ‘paper’ with ‘Scott’ just seems strange.

Still, I am curious if anyone else does it, or it’s just this friend and his family.

4

Good quote pertaining to this from Clerks the Cartoon
Junkie: Mary Mother of God, I cut my hand on a rubber band! Do you sell Band-Aids?
Randal: Band-Aids is a brand name. The proper term is “adhesive strips”.
Dante: The man is bleeding to death, and you’re getting into sematics arguement?

5

[very small voice] I do this sometimes. [/very small voice]

Mostly because I had an friend who would say, “Hand me a Scott Towel, Brawny.” As a kid, I thought that was freaking hilarious.

[very small voice redux] Okay, okay. I still do. [/very small voice redux]

Julie

6

No always paper towel.

I almost never use brand names and I make it a point never to include the sponsor’s name when referring to a sporting event but after saying that I do say band-aid, oops.

7

Well, that’s one at least! Thanks.