Fun fact: Aspirin and Heroin lost their trademark status in a different way than genericization. Those trademarks were ended because the winning countries in World War I forced the German company Bayer to give them up, as part of the reparations in the Treaty of Versailles.
When the US entered WW1 in 1917, the local branch of Bayer was seized and sold to another company, including the brand names “Aspirin” and “Heroin”. It took until 1994 when Bayer bought the brand “Aspirin” back in the US.
Fun fact: Aspirin and Heroin lost their trademark status in a different way than genericization. Those trademarks were ended because the winning countries in World War I forced the German company Bayer to give them up, as part of the reparations in the Treaty of Versailles.
When the US entered WW1 in 1917, the local branch of Bayer was seized and sold to another company, including the brand names “Aspirin” and “Heroin”. It took until 1994 when Bayer bought the brand “Aspirin” back in the US.