As someone who lived in Las Vegas for over a decade, I know as well as anyone what it means to have brand names flashing in neon, screaming to be seen. I've also seen those same neon signs being stripped down and replaced by the newest, shiniest label. It’s tempting for authors to want to tap into a zeitgeist in a present-day timeline by referencing real-world brands. A character sipping a Starbucks latte or slipping into Nike sneakers might seem to ground the narrative in the everyday, but the cost of this may be higher than many writers realize. The use of brand names in fiction is not always the creative association it appears to be, and, in many cases, it can distract, date, or even legally entangle a story that was meant to soar.
 

Fiction Ages, But Brands Age Faster

One of the biggest risks of incorporating real brands in fiction is how quickly they can age. A brand that’s culturally relevant today may be obsolete, or even problematic, tomorrow. What once felt like a clever nod to contemporary culture can feel dated or tone-deaf within just a few years. Readers may roll their eyes at a character excitedly downloading a song on their iPod or asking Siri for help. Imagine a story set in the present day, but written 20 years ago, and a character is using their Blackberry, or scrolling through MySpace, in their Ed Hardy or Bebe tee. It's laughable, at best. At worst, it can make a serious storyline laughable as well.

Legal Minefields and Trademarks

Many writers also overlook the legal implications of using brand names in fiction. While it’s generally permissible to mention brands in a non-defamatory way, the line is thinner than it appears. A negative portrayal of a brand, even if incidental, can trigger legal action or, at the very least, a cease-and-desist letter. This is especially precarious for self-published authors or small presses without access to legal teams. Even if a lawsuit never materializes, the mere possibility can stifle creative expression or slow down a publication process.

Realism vs. Laziness

Some argue that using brand names makes characters feel more “real,” but others see it as a shortcut that weakens storytelling. A character who drives a Tesla is far more generic than one who drives a sleek electric car, silent and self-assured like its owner. The former tells, the latter shows. Brands can be a crutch, letting the audience fill in character traits based on cultural associations, rather than the writer doing the work to build the personality and context themselves.

Let the World Be Yours

Ultimately, fiction is a space where authors have complete control over the universe, so why limit that by anchoring it to existing brands? Invented brands, like Butterbeer in Harry Potter or Acme Corporation in classic cartoons, can add huge cohesion to a world. They let writers maintain creative freedom without legal baggage or the ticking clock of relevance. The best stories create their own reality, not because it mimics our world but because it reflects the author's through a curated lens. In a marketplace already dominated by brand messaging, fiction has the rare chance to be something else: timeless, unencumbered, and entirely its own.