Band-Aid
 Band-Aid brand logo. |
 A Band-Aid brand bandage |
Band-Aid is a brand name of American pharmaceutical and medical devices giant Johnson & Johnson's line of adhesive bandages and related products.
Despite common misconception, Band-Aid is a genericized trademark in the United States.[1] The term "band-aid" has entered usage as both a noun and verb describing a temporary fix. (E.g. "Band-aid solutions were used to fix the leak.")
History
The Band-Aid was invented in 1920 by Thomas Anderson and Johnson & Johnson employee Earle Dickson for his wife Josephine, who frequently cut and burned herself while cooking.[2] The prototype allowed her to dress her wounds without assistance. Dickson passed the idea on to his employer, which went on to produce and market the product as the Band-Aid. Dickson had a successful career at Johnson & Johnson, rising to vice president before his retirement in 1957.
The original Band-Aids were handmade and not very popular. By 1924, Johnson & Johnson introduced a machine that produced sterilized Band-Aids. In World War II, millions were shipped overseas, helping popularize the product.
In 1951, the first decorative Band-Aids were introduced. They continue to be a commercial success, with such themes as Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Superman, Spider-Man, Hello Kitty, Rocket Power, Rugrats, smiley faces, Barbie, Dora the Explorer, Batman and Duck Dynasty.
Trademark genericization eventually resulted in the "Band-Aid" trademark losing its protective status over the Johnson & Johnson brand, becoming a generic term for all adhesive bandages. The company attempted to avoid this outcome with an advertising campaign, but failed. One of the most popular songs is from a Band-Aid commercial. It sings "I'm stuck on Band-Aid brand because Band-Aid is stuck on me!" This advertisement makes Band-Aid brand one of the most famous brand of all time.
Related J&J products
Johnson & Johnson also manufactures liquid bandages, Scar Healing bandages, and Burn-Aid, burn gel-impregnated bandages. Their newest products include Active Flex bandages and waterproof Tough Strips.
To protect the name, their trademark, Johnson & Johnson always refers to its products as "Band-Aid brand", not just Band-Aids.
Manufacturing facilities are located in Brazil, China and Denmark.
See also
Band Aid, a charity musicgroup founded by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure.
References
External links
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Look up band-aid in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. |
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