[Ads-l] anti-genericization campaign: Velcro

[Dave Hause]

About 2005, the US Army came out with a new "Universal Camouflage Pattern" 
(which actually blended with almost nothing) combat uniform with extensive 
use of what they called "hook and loop" fasteners.  Presumably, it was made 
by the lowest bidder, like so much military material, and those fasteners 
were an excellent reason the Velcro company would not have wanted their name 
used on them.  Eventually, things annoyed me enough that I found actual 
Velcro brand tape and replaced the generic crap on several uniforms and on 
other places (name tapes) I "reinforced" the generic hook and loop fasteners 
with silicone rubber adhesive.
Dave Hause
-----Original Message----- 
From: Barretts Mail
Sent: Wednesday, September 27, 2017 3:26 PM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: anti-genericization campaign: Velcro

Evidently concerned that people are referring to products using Velcro as 
“Velcro X”, Velcro has published a video on YouTube to discourage the 
practice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oP-fZdFfOGE 
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oP-fZdFfOGE>

In an article "Velcro Company asks 'Don't say Velcro’” by Troy Sepion 
(http://www.mypanhandle.com/news/business/velcro-company-asks-dont-say-velcro/819486846 
<http://www.mypanhandle.com/news/business/velcro-company-asks-dont-say-velcro/819486846>), 
the Velcro CEO Fraser Cameron is cited as saying, "There's only one Velcro 
brand. Everything else is just hook and loop.”

Perhaps there is a difference, but I don’t see one at 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hook_and_loop_fastener 
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hook_and_loop_fastener>, other than the fact 
that Velcro hook-and-loop is made by Velcro.

It seems likely that this is simply an ad campaign dressed up as an 
anti-genericization campaign. It’s all Velcro to me.

Fun fact: Velcro is known as マジック・テープ (magikku teepu) in Japanese. Yes just 
like it sounds.

Benjamin Barrett
Formerly of Seattle, WA
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