20 Big‑Company Trademarks That Expired or Got Abandoned (And What You Can Learn From Them)

A trademark is often a company’s most valuable asset. But even the world’s biggest brands have lost theirs—sometimes through a simple paperwork mistake, sometimes because the brand became too successful, and sometimes because they simply stopped using a name they once loved.

Here are 20 famous trademarks that expired or were abandoned, along with the lessons every business owner should take to heart.

🧼 The “Genericide” Club (When a Brand Becomes the Product)

Genericide happens when a brand name becomes so common that people use it for any product of that kind—not just the original company’s. Once a court decides a trademark has become generic, anyone can use it. These are the most painful losses because they’re caused by success.

1. Aspirin (Bayer)

The most famous genericide case of all time. Bayer held the trademark for Aspirin in the US until 1921, when a federal court ruled that the name had become the generic term for acetylsalicylic acid tablets. American consumers weren’t thinking of Bayer anymore—they just wanted “aspirin.”

2. Escalator (Otis Elevator Company)

Otis coined the term for its moving staircases. By 1950, the word had entered common language as a description for the technology itself, not as a brand name. The trademark was cancelled.

3. Thermos

Once a trademarked brand for vacuum‑insulated bottles, “thermos” is now the generic name for any insulated container that keeps drinks hot or cold.

4. Trampoline (Griswold‑Nissen Trampoline & Tumbling Company)

Invented in 1934 as a training tool for astronauts and athletes, “trampoline” started as a trademark. Today it’s the generic term for the bouncing device itself.

5. Zipper (B.F. Goodrich Company)

B.F. Goodrich registered “Zipper” in 1925 for its new fastener on rubber boots. By 1930, the term was so widely used that it could no longer be protected.

6. Heroin (Bayer)

Before becoming the name of a notorious drug, “Heroin” was a trademark of Bayer AG. The company lost the trademark in 1919 as part of the Treaty of Versailles.

7. Cellophane

What started as a trademarked brand name for a transparent film is now the generic term for any similar packaging material.

8. Yo‑Yo

The classic toy was once a registered trademark. Today it’s the common name for the spool‑and‑string device.

9. Kerosene (Abraham Gesner)

Canadian physician Abraham Gesner registered “Kerosene” as a trademark in 1854. Initially only two companies could call their heating fuel Kerosene, but eventually the name became generic for any such fuel.

10. Linoleum

Once a protected trademark, “linoleum” is now the everyday term for a type of floor covering.

💤 Abandoned Through Non‑Use (Even Ferrari Isn’t Safe)

If you stop using a trademark for a certain period—typically three to five years depending on the country—anyone can petition to have it cancelled. Even the most iconic names can be lost this way.

11. Ferrari Testarossa (Germany)

Ferrari built the iconic Testarossa from 1984 to 1991. After production ended, the company didn’t keep using the mark. A German toy manufacturer challenged Ferrari’s rights, arguing that the trademark had fallen out of use for more than five years. The German court agreed and ordered Ferrari to give up the Testarossa trademark in Germany.

12. Yezdi (Ideal Jawa)

The Karnataka High Court ruled that the Yezdi trademark for motorcycles had lapsed because the original manufacturer had abandoned it for over 15 years. A competitor was then free to use and register the name.

13. Triumph (Bicycles, India)

The Calcutta High Court cancelled a 75‑year‑old registration for the “Triumph” trademark on bicycles. The mark had not been used for decades, clearing the way for Triumph Motorcycles to claim the name.

14. Lehman Brothers (Barclays)

After acquiring Lehman Brothers’ assets, Barclays allowed the Lehman Brothers trademark registrations to expire. An opportunistic company called Tiger Lily immediately began selling “Lehman Brothers” whiskey. Barclays opposed, but the legal fight showed how quickly an expired mark can be grabbed.

15. McDonald’s in Russia (Big Mac, Happy Meal, McNuggets)

After McDonald’s halted operations in Russia in 2022, it stopped using its trademarks there. As a result, rights to Happy Meal, McNuggets, Royal Cheeseburger, and McCountry expired in 2026, while Big Mac and others will expire in 2027.

16. Dockers Logo in Russia (Levi’s)

Levi Strauss & Co. voluntarily terminated trademark protection for the Dockers logo in Russia, even though the registration had been extended until 2033. The company still holds other Dockers marks, but this was a strategic abandonment of a specific logo.

📄 Accidental Expiration (When Paperwork Fails)

Sometimes the biggest brands in the world simply forget to renew a trademark. These mistakes are surprisingly common—and surprisingly costly.

17. Coca‑Cola Bottle Design

In 1985, Coca‑Cola forgot to renew the trademark for its iconic contoured bottle design. The bottle had become one of the most recognizable shapes on the planet. Fortunately for Coke, the design had acquired “secondary meaning” and was still in active use, so they were able to maintain some protection. But it was a close call.

18. Burberry Check Pattern (US)

Luxury brand Burberry inadvertently failed to renew its trademark for the famous Burberry check pattern in the United States in 2006. The company continued using the pattern and eventually re‑established its rights through new registrations, but the lapse was a costly oversight.

19. Tiffany & Co. Blue Box

Even Tiffany’s legendary robin’s‑egg blue—one of the most famous color trademarks in the world—was temporarily left unprotected when the company mistakenly failed to file a timely renewal. The distinctive color remained strongly associated with the brand, allowing Tiffany to eventually secure the trademark again.

🎯 Strategic Abandonment (When a Company Moves On)

Sometimes a company chooses to abandon a trademark. But that abandoned mark can be picked up by someone else—sometimes to the original owner’s regret.

20. Nike TOTAL 90

Nike formally abandoned the TOTAL 90 trademark for its soccer boots and equipment in 2019. Years later, the company decided to revive the beloved brand—only to discover that a new company, Total90, LLC, had already registered the vacant mark. Nike found itself in the awkward position of wanting to use a name it had once owned but no longer controlled.

Bonus: The Twitter/X Situation

After Elon Musk rebranded Twitter to “X,” a startup called Operation Bluebird filed petitions to cancel X Corp.’s remaining “Twitter” and “Tweet” trademarks, arguing that the marks had been abandoned. Whether the attempt succeeds or not, it’s a vivid example of how quickly an abandoned brand can become fair game.

📌 Key Takeaways for Business Owners

• Renew on time. Even Coca‑Cola and Burberry have slipped up. Set calendar reminders years in advance.

• Use it or lose it. Non‑use for three to five years makes a trademark vulnerable to cancellation—even for Ferraris.

• Don’t let your brand become generic. Use the mark as an adjective, not a noun (“Kleenex tissues,” not just “Kleenex”). Educate the public and the media.

• Reviving a dead brand is risky. Once you abandon a mark, someone else can legally take it—as Nike learned with TOTAL 90.

• International rights don’t last forever. If you leave a market (like McDonald’s in Russia), your trademarks there may expire and be claimed by others.

A trademark is only as strong as the vigilance behind it. Learn from these giants—and protect what you’ve built.

Check out the most recent list of expired registered trademarks here.