29 December, 2015
Is Taylor Swift going overboard? With her incessant trademark applications, this question has been on the tip of everyone’s tongue. Recently, through TAS Rights Management LLC, her IP management Company, she has filed trademark applications to register ‘1989’, ‘Blank space’, ‘A girl named girl’, ‘I’ll write your name’ and ‘Swiftmas’.
A Trademark is a mark which is capable of distinguishing the goods and services of one person from those of others. They indicate the source of goods and services, and thereby protect the customers from being deceived.
Taylor Swift’s last released album, which is named 1989, has gone onto win various awards; hence, in an effort to capitalize on the
success of her album as well as to prevent others from cashing in on her achievement, she is seeking registration for ‘1989’ for variety of goods and services, such as clothing, live music concerts, etc. As per the United States Patent Trademark Office (USPTO), the mark consists of the literal element of 1989, appearing in a stylized manner.
‘Blank space’ is the name of one of her chartbuster songs, whereas ‘I’ll write your name’ is a phrase that can be found in the said song. This is not the first time she has sought trademark protection for her lyrics. For instance, she has filed trademark application for the lyrics ‘this sick beat’ found in her popular pop number ‘shake it off’.
Furthermore, ‘Swiftmas’ is a term used by Taylor Swift’s fan to describe the acts of kindness undertaken by her, like when she gave away early Christmas gifts to 32 of her Tumblr followers.
A quick search on the USPTO website will show that numerous applications have been filed for each of the five marks. The reason for this is that every single application deals with a separate class.
Importance of protecting one’s intellectual property has always been an integral part of showbiz. Taylor Swift has always stressed upon the need to be vigilant in protecting one’s IP and with these trademark applications, she has once again reinforced her reputation of being one of the most IP savvy women in the entertainment business.
For further information, please contact:
Raashi Jain, LexOrbis
mail@lexorbis.com
