Flick Fact: Something in B-N that's become as famous as Kleenex and Band-Aids?
Question: The words, "Kleenex" and "Band-Aids" are now so well-known, they've become "generic" terms, says Ad Age magazine - as in "Can you pass a Kleenex?" or "Do you have a Band-Aid?" even if you're actually only referring to a tissue or a small adhesive bandage. Can you name a third brand name that has become such a well-known product, it has become generic term across America? (Hint: It's made in Bloomington.)
Answer: Yes, it's Beer Nuts, the downtown Bloomington-born product, originally known as "Redskins," then called Shirk's Glazed Peanuts, and then finally 70 years ago, Beer Nuts, that adage says has now become a generic term for a sugar-glazed, brown-skinned peanut.
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Question: The words, "Kleenex" and "Band-Aids" are now so well-known, they've become "generic" terms, says Ad Age magazine - as in "Can you pass a Kleenex?" or "Do you have a Band-Aid?" even if you're actually only referring to a tissue or a small adhesive bandage. Can you name a third "brand name" that has become such a well-known product, it has become "generic" term across America? (Hint: It's made in Bloomington.)
Answer: Yes, it's Beer Nuts, the downtown Bloomington-born product, originally known as "Redskins," then called Shirk's Glazed Peanuts, and then finally 70 years ago, Beer Nuts, that Ad Age says has now become a generic term for a sugar-glazed, brown-skinned peanut.
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This story was originally published July 7, 2026 at 4:14 AM.