BY, making a brand name into a generic term is certainly nothing new. At the risk of yarting, one could mention Brillo, Kleenex, Vaseline, Coke, Spam right off the top of one's head, and that's only the U.S. ones.

*BTW, (pace AnnaS), is there anyone beside me who has a secret fondness for Spam? Closeted Spamlovers of the world, unite!