Lost trademarks

1. Earlier
   Aspirin (generic in the US, still Bayer's in many countries)Bayer · various · Trademarks

   A US court ruled "aspirin" generic in 1921. In dozens of other countries, Canada and Germany included, Aspirin is still a Bayer trademark.

   US 1921
2. Earlier
   Thermos, yo-yo, trampoline, cellophaneVarious · various · Trademarks

   Former brand names that US courts or the market turned generic (thermos in 1963, yo-yo in 1965).

   US 1963
3. Earlier
   EscalatorOtis Elevator Company · various · Trademarks

   Otis lost the trademark in 1950 after using "escalator" as a generic word in its own ads.

   US 1950

How trademarks end

Trademarks can last forever if they are used and renewed. They are lost when the owner stops using them for years (abandonment) or when the public uses the name as the generic word for the product (genericide), which is decided country by country.