When you pay $400 million to place your product with the NFL, you hope that, at least, people will call it by its name. But unfortunately for Microsoft and its Surface tablets announcers just can't stop calling them iPads.
The tablets are part of a multi-year partnership between Microsoft and the NFL, and are used by coaches as digital playbooks. They're kept in branded mobile lockers, as well as specialized cases when in use. In the opening game of the season, announcers referred to the Surface used by Patriots coach Bill Belichick as an "iPad," as you can see in the video below.
This isn't the first time this has happened, but it's not surprising. Like Kleenex for tissues and Xerox for copiers before it, the iPad has, for many, become the generic word for "tablet." This also goes to show that no matter how much money you pay, you can't buy brand affinity.
Source: Business Insider
