Jacuzzi – A Brand & Generic Term for Jetted Hot Tubs

Success has its rewards – but also its dangers. The management of companies and brands such as Hoover, Super Glue, Frisbee, Kleenex and Jacuzzi are well aware of the fact that when a brand becomes synonymous with a particular product it may lose the legal protection that is afforded by patents and trademarks.

Take Jacuzzi for instance – so successful and so pervasive was the brand that all hot tubs became known as ‘Jacuzzi’s’. That came with a whole lot of problems when the company tried to differentiate its brand from the competition.

Being first to market – or completely dominating a market can lead to problems down the road, when the product begins to outshine the brand – and assumes a brand identity rather than being recognized as one of a raft of products manufactured by the company.

Jacuzzi the company does not only manufacture hot tubs – but they also produce mattresses and toilets – but the brand identity of the Jacuzzi brand hot tub has now become considerably diluted when it comes to hot tubs and especially jetted tubs.

However, Jacuzzi is still a trusted name – even though it has become just another name for a jetted tub or hot tub. The company is no longer the market leader in the hot tub sector (due in part to the watering down of the brand) and the fact that Jacuzzi not only had to cope with the erosion of its brand value – but also the fact that the company regularly changed hands with predictable consequences for its strategy.

Past innovations include the production of the first bath with an integrated ‘jet whirlpool’ function (the ‘Roman’). That was back in 1968 – and the patented jets, mixing air and water revolutionized what was quickly to become the ‘hydrotherapy’ hot tub. Jacuzzi quickly followed up on the success of this product in the 1970s with the launch of the larger hot tubs that allowed the company to assume it dominant market position. These tubs were larger and suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. It was not long before they were offered with heating and filtration systems – and space enough for family and friends. By the 1980s the company was offering hot tub experiences that included cascading water features, larger-sized models and innovations built into a variety of new models.

Today Jacuzzi may lag behind other manufacturers of hot tub style products – but it is still recognized as one of the leaders in the industry. Proof can be found in the fact that Jacuzzi-style hydrotherapy products are now sold in around 60 countries across the globe.

Jacuzzi products offer great consumer choice. They are available in a number of seating configurations and the company’s most popular models seat between 5 and 9 people in comfort. The company continues its path of innovation with products such as the J-500 series offering class-leading ergonomics – and simple attractiveness to the many people who still trust the Jacuzzi brand to deliver products based on over 60 years of experience.

While we feel our Coast Spas are the best value in the hot tub market (we’re a little partial that way) we recognize the market wouldn’t be what it is without the innovations that Jacuzzi brought to the market.