 The company used the National brand outside North America from the 1950s to the 1970s (the trademark could not be used in the United States because it was already in use).The inability to use the National brand name led to the creation of the Panasonic brand in the United States.Over the next several decades Panasonic released additional products, including black and white TVs (1952), electrical blenders, fridges (1953), rice cookers (1959), color TVs and microwave ovens (1966).