Do Microsoft Employees Google Stuff?

If you use any of the many Microsoft products, you've probably seen their new ad campaign, "Bing It On!" It is yet another attempt by Microsoft to encourage customers to use their brand name as a verb. After all, you've probably "googled" lots of things, so why not "Bing" it? For one, it's not very catchy and secondly, the Microsoft search engine still hasn't gained much market share. But it made me wonder, why Microsoft would actively court this type of brand mutilation?
 

When a brand name reaches the point where it is used as the generic term for a product or service, it's called brand genericide. It has happened to many brands through the years and it can even cause a company to lose its trademark on the brand completely. Brands like Xerox, Rollerblade, Band Aid, Frisbee, Linoleum and Jello-O have all been struggling with this problem. In order to keep their trademarks, they have to prevent people from misusing their brand.

In spite of their protest, the Merriam-Webster dictionary lists the word "google" as a transitive verb which is often capitalized. They define the verb "to google" as "to use the Google search engine to obtain information about (as a person) on the World Wide Web." 

As you can see, the fight to stop the generic use of their trademark is an uphill battle and one that can have steep costs. If Google were to just accept the incorrect usage of their brand, Microsoft could simply encourage their users to use the Bing search engine to google things, which would be a huge hit for the search giant. 

So, what does this have to do with sales? Well, whether you are selling a product, a service or simply selling yourself, your brand identity is crucial. In order to effectively market your brand and encourage customer loyalty, your brand has to stand out without becoming generic. According to INTA, there are a few things a company can do to prevent trademark genricide:

• Use the generic name of the goods with the trademark (Q-Tips cotton swabs) (and, if your product is the first entrant, come up with a generic term for the product);
• Give proper notice of a registered trademark to consumers by using either: “Registered in U.S. Patent and Trademark Office” or “Reg. U.S. Pat. & Tm. Off.” or the letter R enclosed within a circle, ®. 15 U.S.C. § 1111. For an unregistered mark, use TM;
• Distinguish the trademark from surrounding text by capitalizing the trademark, using a distinctive typeface, or at the very least, capitalizing the first letter of the trademark; 
• Use the trademark as an adjective (KLEENEX tissues);
• Do not use the trademark as a noun (KLEENEX);
• Do not use the trademark in the plural (incorrect: buy two DR. PEPPERS; correct: buy two DR. PEPPER soda beverages);
• Do not use the trademark as a verb (incorrect - XEROX the document; correct - make a copy using a XEROX copier);
• Do not abbreviate the trademark or alter it in any way (use H&M and not H and M);
• Use the trademark on a line of products rather than a single product (NIKE, used on sneakers and clothing);
• Object to others’ misuse of the trademark;
• Educate the public, including individuals within the trademark owner’s organization, distributors, dealers, and consumers, to ensure proper usage of the trademark. Misuse often occurs due to lack of education, not wrongful intent.