Thread: Okay To Use Brand Names?

If I want to have one of my characters use a Dell laptop, clean something on the floor with some Lysol, or take some Breyer's Ice-Cream out of the freezer, is that okay to do? Should I do it sparingly? Do I have to italicize it if I use them?

Thank you.

Originally Posted by DabigJimdogg0

However, sometimes if you think you're writing something great, something that you think will be around for ages, then you might not want to bring up products that might be gone in a decade like Spongebob Squarepants or Dell.

Out of curiosity, is Don Quixote a weaker novel because of its references to chivalric literature that no one reads any more? Trying to avoid grounding your story in a specific time and place has its uses (especially if you are writing speculative fiction), but giving books greater staying power doesn't seem to me to be one of them.

Besides, who can assume that people will be reading a particular novel in two hundred years? Doesn't it seem presumptuous to "tailor" your writing to be "timeless"?

"Why on earth would you want to avoid insulting them? Some companies make dreadful products. Some companies are pretty evil. If you think that, say so."

If you say so won't you then have the possibility of being sued? I think that is why most writers would avoid insulting them.

Thanks for the replies, guys. I'll use the brand names for the important parts.

If you say so won't you then have the possibility of being sued? I think that is why most writers would avoid insulting them.

What's the first amendment good for, then?

It also depends on how you're insulting them...

"Toyota makes cars that explode." <- Probably not a good idea.

"Toyota sucks." <- Not really lawsuit material.

Originally Posted by Knightskye

What's the first amendment good for, then?

Keep in mind that half the companies you talk about probably aren't going to be American companies anyway.

But also since when did laws apply to giant corporations anyway?

Originally Posted by Sparx

You should only use brand names in your story if it is significant or hints at something to the reader. For example in my own novel im writing, i use car brand names but i use them because the car plays a certain role in the book and rather than continously describing it, i can refer to the car by its brand name.

If you could just call the laptop, a laptop then the brand name isn't really nessacary is it. It would seem like a gimmick and a distraction to the reader.

I agree to an extent. There's really no point in mentioning the brand of laptop unless there's some sort of importance to it. There aren't really different "types" of laptops. But what about with, say, soda? There's a huge difference between Coca-Cola and Pepsi for example. Just saying soda doesn't cut it for me if you're writing a story in the real world and going to great lengths to make it believable and actually seem like it's actually taking place in the modern world.

Originally Posted by Knightskye
What's the first amendment good for, then?

I really don't know. I'm not American.
I assume you're referring to the right to free speech? Well here I don't think we have that right to the same extent that perhaps you do, so maybe you wouldn't get sued for insulting a company, if anyone knows the rules on this for deffinate I'd be very interested to hear what is acceptable when using brand names and what isn't.

Originally Posted by bob rulz

Keep in mind that half the companies you talk about probably aren't going to be American companies anyway.

So long as I don't live in those countries who own that company, I'm fine - or, at least, should be.

It also depends on how you're insulting them...

"Toyota makes cars that explode." <- Probably not a good idea.

"Toyota sucks." <- Not really lawsuit material.

Ahh, that makes sense, mwd. Thank you. So I could say like, "I know this car company that makes exploding cars," I just shouldn't say a specific company. Hmm. How you feel - good, slander - bad. Gotcha.