ABSTRACT
For better or worse, the concept of "branding," which refers to the image, identity, and personality that particular companies or goods try to project as well as how the company or product is perceived by consumers, has become central to the functioning of contemporary corporate culture. Common wisdom is that having a strong brand is a key to success, and to have a strong brand means to have an image that evokes the highest possible utility, or that at least successfully connects (often tangentially) the product to desirable qualities or emotions. In the pantheon of branding a special place is reserved for "pioneering" brands that have become so stupendously successful in their field that their brand name becomes the generic name for the product category or, even better, their name transforms into the verb used to denote the use of that product: Xeroxing for photocopying, Rollerblading for in-line skating, Tivoing for digital video recording, and Hoovering for vacuuming (if you are British) are just a few. Apart from the hassle and expense of the legal maneuvering required to make sure the brand's trademark does not become nullified by generalized use, this complete domination/association is considered a good thing for business.
