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Don't Say Velcro

VELCRO® Brand · comedy · Watch on YouTube

Law, policing & justiceProduct, marketing & sales

What it is

Velcro Brand's legal team makes a short, humorous ad asking people not to use "velcro" as a noun or verb and to say hook and loop instead. It is a tongue-in-cheek lesson in defending a trademark against genericization.

Why Hacker News recommends it

HN cites it as the go-to example of a company defending its trademark, and many also find it funny.

  • 3 people recommended it
  • 3 different months
  • 2 strong recommendations
  • first 2019, last 2025

What HN commenters said

  1. “It's the funniest thing I've seen in a long time.”

    Hilarious Velcro ad best watched with sound up.

    Stratoscope, 2022-09 · Strong recommendation · in “YKK zippers: Why so many designers use them (2012)”

  2. “it's hilarious and worth watching”

    Hilarious ad campaign that made the trademark stick.

    compiler-guy, 2023-12 · Strong recommendation · in “Don't Say Velcro (2017)”

  3. “in a surprisingly straightforward, honest and amusing way”

    Velcro's lawyers amusingly explain proper trademark usage.

    _jal, 2020-04 · Recommendation · in “'Call of Duty' wins First Amendment victory over use of Humvees”

Excerpts from Hacker News comments, linked to the originals. Summaries and labels were written by a language model from those comments.

Topics: velcro, trademark, advertising, hook and loop, humor

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