A lesson in good marketing

Did you know that Zipper is a brand and not the name of the product?

When thinking about a certain product, we can all point to a brand that is the most known. But sometimes, a brand will be so popular that it will become the generic name of the product. Let’s have a look at 10 brands that have become a synonym for the product’s name.

A staple in the wintertime, Chapstick is actually a well-known brand of lip balm that has been around since the late 19th Century. With a trajectory that long, it’s no surprise that the name has become synonymous with the product.

What family has not been saved by a Crock-Pot on a busy day? This appliance lets you cook food at a steady temperature and a slow pace, and its actual name (slow cooker) reflects that. However, the Crock-Pot brand of slow cookers is so popular that it is used as a generic name.

Jacuzzis are a great way to destress after a hectic week and to relieve body pains. However, what we colloquially call ‘a jacuzzi’ is in fact a hot tub (sometimes called a whirlpool tub). The Jacuzzi company not only sells hot tubs, but also products such as mattresses and towels.

You might know this one: kleenex are not really called kleenex, but facial tissues. The Kleenex brand offers a wide range of products, most of them paper-based, with tissues being one of the best-known.

What do you use for transferring archives and data between computers? If you said ‘Memory stick’, you are wrong (unless it's from the brand Sony). The proper generic name for this device is flash memory storage device.

The name ‘ping pong’ is so common that we sometimes forget that the sport’s actual name is table tennis. Ping Pong is a trademarked name, nearly a hundred years old.

The use of ‘scotch tape’ as a generic name is so widespread that it even appears in some dictionaries. However, its correct name is clear adhesive tape, which sometimes is from the Scotch Tape brand.

The prized possession of many mothers around the world, the Tupperware brand is one of the best-known when it comes to kitchen products. Its containers are particularly famous, and the brand name is often used for any plastic container.

No one can argue that the word zipper is part of the common lexicon and it’s used in a generic sense. But the word has been trademarked by the Universal Fastener Company since 1917. Similar products from different brands should be called ‘separable fasteners’.

The use of this word as generic involves a legal battle between Wham-O (the original trademark owner) and another toy company that argued that the word ‘frisbee’ had been incorporated into the common language as generic. The court ruled in favor of the original company, so off-brand frisbees are still legally called flying disks.

Holy mysteries

What does the Vatican have to do with the moon landing? Find out here

Image: Jamie Evawin

Located in the heart of Rome, the Vatican is a city-state with roots that stretch far beyond its official founding year. And while you might think you’ve heard all about it, the world’s smallest country still holds plenty of secrets. Let’s uncover 10 fascinating facts hidden within its walls.

Image: NASA

In July 1969, the United States sent the first humans who reached the moon. But what exactly did the astronauts bring along with them? Believe it or not, a small Vatican City flag flew aboard Apollo 11 and made it all the way to the moon. Later, President Nixon presented that same flag to Pope Paul VI.

Image: Kelsey Knight

Wine in the Vatican isn’t just for Mass. In fact, this tiny city-state has the world’s highest wine consumption per capita! That may sound shocking, but it becomes a little more reasonable when you consider two things: there are no children in the population, so almost everyone is of drinking age, and residents also enjoy tax-free wine.

Image: Luma Pimentel

Did you know there are no hospitals and no delivery rooms at all? That’s right! You can’t become a Vatican citizen by birth. Citizenship is granted only based on a person’s role or employment within the Holy See.

Image: Ivan Lemekhov

You can’t just choose to live in the Vatican. Just as citizenship isn’t granted by birth, it isn’t permanent either. Those who become citizens hold it only temporarily, and it’s revoked once their service ends.

Image: Sebastian Herrmann

Due to the large number of daily visitors, minor crimes like pickpocketing can occur. However, the Vatican doesn’t have a formal prison system. While there are a few temporary detention facilities, anyone sentenced to prison serves their time in Italian jails.

Image: chan lee

It turns out no one has pets inside the Vatican walls, and it’s not because they don’t like animals. There is actually a rule that prohibits pets from living in or visiting the Vatican and its main attractions. While this might sound strange at first, it actually makes a lot of sense: the ban exists because the Vatican functions primarily as a high-security workplace and religious site, where noise, dirt, or pet waste wouldn’t be ideal. Of course, there are exceptions, such as guide dogs or therapy animals.

Image: Richard Wang

The Vatican is filled with incredible works by the master Michelangelo, with the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel being among the most famous. But there’s only one piece actually signed by Michelangelo himself, and it’s right here in the Vatican. More precisely, it’s in St. Peter’s Basilica: the breathtaking sculpture titled "The Pietà," completed when he was just about 24 years old.

Image: Nicolas Hoizey

The Vatican Museums are the public museums of Vatican City, housing around 70,000 works of art! Together, their corridors and halls stretch nearly 10 miles and attract over 15 million visitors each year. In addition, you can explore the incredible Bramante Staircase, with a double-helix design that is mind-blowing.

Image: Elena Mozhvilo

With so many rooms and corridors, there are also countless doors, which means countless keys. Around 2,700, to be more precise. That’s right: each morning, the museum guards are responsible for opening every single one.

Image: Erik Mclean

Lingua Latina pars fundamentalis Vaticani est. But if that sentence didn’t make sense to you, you might want to bring cash when visiting the Vatican. Why? Well, their ATMs are in Latin! The good news: Italian and English are also available, so we’re covered.