Brand news: the latest news from the United States
October was a very hectic month for the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). A look back at some trademark registrations ...who have been the talk of the town on the other side of the Atlantic. Let's take this opportunity to look back at some of the highlights of the American news.
1. Elon Musk registers the Teslaquila trademark
More affordable than Tesla cars or rocket trips, Elon Musk will launch his own brand of tequila. The eccentric CEO posted a tweet on October 12th, featuring a bottle of alcohol bearing the name Teslaquila.
This picture would be the continuation of a joke of 1er April that Elon Musk had made. A few months later, the joke is no longer a joke. Although the trademark has not yet been registered by the USPTO, an application was filed on October 8, 2018. The application claims seniority as of April 10.
2. Dunkin' says goodbye to 'Donuts'.
The 1ster Last October Dunkin' Donuts officially announced its name change for the year 2019. The American company, which has specialised in doughnuts since 1950, has in fact announced the abandonment of the term "Donuts".
From next year on, we'll go to Dunkin's for coffee. This change aims above all to restore the brand's image, which wants to move away from sweets and win back customers looking for more balanced products. As is often the case with a change in communication, the evolution is accompanied by the registration of several trademarks before the USPTO. These new filings have not posed any particular problems. In fact, the term "Donuts being genericThe company did not have a monopoly on the word and could not use it against third parties.
But even without the "Donuts", Dunkin' will continue to sell its donuts in 2019!
3. Colin Kaepernick wants to protect his face and his afro
Former US quarterback Colin Kaepernick made a name for himself in 2016 when he knelt during the national anthem to challenge racial inequality and police brutality in the United States. This symbolic protest was strongly criticized by Donald Trump in 2017. Kaepernick, has meanwhile become one of the faces of the Nike brand.... This controversial choice led to a boycott of the brand by some Americans, who published numerous videos of their sneakers burning.
No doubt taking advantage of this new media wave, Colin Kaepernick has just filed a trademark application with the USPTO. This figurative mark represents the player's distinctive face and hairstyle.
It targets a wide variety of products: shampoos, candles, clothes and backpacks.
Kaepernick is now a regular at the USPTO, where he had already registered the "I'm with Kap" trademark for clothing in August.
4. Kavanaugh's testimony inspires deponents
At his Senate hearing, Conservative judge Brett Kavanaugh, charged with sexual assault......recognized his penchant for beer.
By declaring "I like beer" in front of the senators, the judge triggered many reactions. Kavanaugh's repeated statements did not go unnoticed, particularly by a resident of Ohio, who filed a trademark application for "KAVANAUGH BEER" the same day.
However, it will probably not be registered, as the USPTO will check it when it is filed. But while waiting for the decision of the American examiner, it is already possible to find derivatives, associating the name of the judge with the drink.
To learn more about trademark registration in the United States (and maybe come to our next article on the subject!) : all the information is there.