I had an interesting conversation with a young colleague of mine the other day. We spoke generally about world events and soon the subject of stereotypes and brand projection cropped up. We talked about drinks, home and office appliances and then paper. Yes paper. The embossed kind used for printing resumes, company profiles, reports and other things of personal and official import.
He said he had only recently discovered that Conqueror was not the product name but the manufacturer of the ubiquitous yellow paper we loved so much.
I recall our office manager used to collect imprest to buy it from Area 10/UTC (a catchment of shops and business offices in the Abuja Municipal Area Council of the FCT, Nígeria) when I was new to legal practice. That was my first real encounter with Conqueror paper. I guess we adopted the brand name to describe that type of paper or product. Much like the fate of coke, xerox and Mr. Biggs and other popular brands of the time.
We were unwitting victims of brand projection and product stereotyping.
Projecting one brand on the generality of available products in the market space and forcing a stereotype that establishes a standard that may cause the market to stagnate and decline overtime if there was no innovation or desire to explore viable product alternatives.
Classic product and market risk. The bane of a fixed mindset as opposed to a growth mindset.
In Nigeria and indeed the world we have described an assortment of products by a pioneer or popular product within the ranks. Similar products or a group of products take on the nom de rose amongst them.
Omo – for detergents/washing soap; coke (short for coca cola for all soft drinks and beverages); xerox- for photocopy machines; Hoover – for vacuum cleaner, NEPA for our Energy company and its successors; Cabin – for crackers; …
Can you think of any other product or brand name? Please feel free to share them with me for inclusion on our list.
Stereotypes are good as a guide but should never be used as a yardstick to pre judge or victimize persons, goods or services.
DrAlexanderGrey 