Don't use real brands in your games/novels

Not because you can't, but because you often can in novels at least— but shouldn't, because you're giving mega corps free advertising.

I mean there's other good reasons too, like "inventing dumb fake brands is half the fun", but that's plenty reason already. Don't lick boots, even if they taste like Oreo.

@glassbottommeg also - people's perception of brands change over time. The cool brand of today may be the evil brand of tomorrow.