The COVID-19 and CORONAVIRUS brands: the beginning of an epidemic?
The current Covid-19 pandemic is no exception: as with every major event, we see the flowering of numerous brands in connection with current events. For example, we have already commented on the trademark registrations ". I am Paris", « Yellow Vests " or " Fake News« .
Since the beginning of March, no less than 95 COVID and 54 CORONAVIRUS brands have been published in many countries around the world.
Ranking of the best COVID and CORONAVIRUS trademark applicants
The Americans are the champions in all categories for the moment, with 35 COVID and 28 CORONAVIRUS deposits, currently totalling more than 40% of the world's deposits.
Then come the Europeans, where the British, Spanish and Germans share the top of the ranking. The French remain surprisingly discreet, as they are usually not lacking in opportunism on the issue. But let's give them a chance: French trademarks are published 3 weeks after they are filed. So we are not yet aware of the filings of the last 3 weeks, where the awareness of the virus has been the highest. No doubt we will catch up!
The outsider of the day is Turkey, with 11 deposits to its credit.
There are also some scattered deposits in Argentina and Mexico.
A wide variety of trademarks
While some have opted for sobriety by using only the terms CORONAVIRUS or COVID-19, others have been more imaginative.
The most registered trademark is clearly I SURVIVED COVID-19 or I SURVIVED CORONAVIRUS (in all possible languages, with or without hashtag).
There are also the visionary optimists, with the brands WE CURED COVID-19, or I WILL SURVIVE COVID-19 CRISIS.
There are also farms opposing the virus, with the marks ANTI-COVID, FU*K YOU COVID-19, FXCK COVID-19.
Others seem to think that the name of the virus is a good selling point. We can mention for example CORONAVIRUS WINES (for wine that we already crave to taste), or CORONAVIRUS Deep Cleaning Services (which immediately inspires confidence)...
We finally find the comedians: COVID PRO QUO, BE COVIDGILANT, CORONAVIRUS: MADE IN CHINA, or WARNING, MY RIDE IS SICKER THAN THE CORONAVIRUS. We also include in this category the brand I SURVIVED SELF-ISOLATION, mainly because it was registered by a New Zealander .
The special editorial mention goes to the Chilean owner of the trademark CORONAVIRUS PROVENE DE LA CIUDAD DE WUHAN, CHINA (translation for non-Spanish speakers: the Coronavirus comes from the city of Wuhan, China). We applaud his clear-sightedness, the reliability of the information and the future prospects of his brand .
The products covered by these marks
Unsurprisingly, most trademarks are for Class 25 clothing. Enough to give a major boost to the Chinese textile industry at the end of this crisis...
There are also a number of marks designating alcoholic products. A side effect of containment, no doubt.
And of course, many brands target chemical, medical or pharmaceutical products. It is true that the appropriation of the term COVID in the medical field by a single economic actor seems perfectly feasible, consistent and in line with the purpose of trademark law... *
Covid-19, a virus that inspires creativity
The eagerness did not prevent some from developing a logo for their brand. An overview of the world's artistic creations:
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Many new brands are probably still to come, we will edit this article accordingly. See you soon, then!
*if you haven't noticed the irony in that sentence, hurry up and read it. our article on descriptive marks !