I ♡ Trademarks NewsletterIssue #472
Bri Van Til | March 17, 2026
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Fight the Power
Co-ownership of a trademark is messy, and the Supreme Court wants nothing to do with that drama.
Mickey’s gas station is going to keep using their moose mascot, despite Buc-ee’s objections. They’re going to fight. If we’re just talking about the mascots (a moose versus a beaver), my money’s on the moose. Dam straight.
From stamping books with “Human Authored” to giving out copies of Don’t Steal This Book, authors in the UK are fighting back against AI companies.
Call Me by Your Name
The EUIPO says the estate of George Orwell’s widow can’t register a trademark for GEORGE ORWELL.
It looks like the KATY PERRY trademark application will be the one that got away, at least in Australia. No word on whether fashion designer KATIE PERRY celebrated with fireworks, but either way, we can all hear her roar.
Perfumer Jo Malone sold her perfume line to Estée Lauder, so now they’re suing her for trademark infringement for using her name on a new JO LOVES perfume line.
Celebrities
The USPTO says Snoop Dogg can’t register a trademark for SMOKE WEED EVERYDAY. Don’t worry, Snoop; they expressed no objections to the smoking itself.
British model Katie Price has apparently agreed to “become the first British celebrity to trademark her own AI image.” Ummm. Okay.
Taylor Swift requested a suspension of her trademark application for LIFE OF A SHOWGIRL.
When Borat is cited as prior art for your design patent application (yep, this design), not only are you unlikely to receive the patent, but you should perhaps also reconsider your choices. Great success. Not!
Professional Concerns
Tubi or not Tubi, that is the question. Shakespeare predicted the job to provide “outrageous fortune,” so you should be their senior marketing counsel.
If you get this senior IP counsel gig, you could build a whole Coinbase to live in. I’d recommend bricks or stones or concrete instead, but you can pay for those with the coins.
I’m betting it’d be fun to Airbnb senior product counsel here.
If I told you to watch out for the line of applicants for this IP paralegal position, could you respond by saying you were keeping an IonQ(ueue)?
Have an open role on your team? Email us at [email protected], and we’ll try to get it in our next newsletter!
Odds & Ends
Walter Johnson claimed on social media that he’s “bringing the TENDERNISM trademark home,”
USPTO Director Squires has issued a memo stating that the Director will now consider where items are manufactured when deciding about IPRs and PGRs, presumably giving preference to goods manufactured in the US.
Encyclopedia Britannica has joined the list of companies suing OpenAI for copyright infringement, but they’re also adding trademark infringement to the allegations because of ChatGPT’s alleged hallucinations that are attributed to their encyclopedia.
Are you going to be in London in May? If so, meet up with our Head of Customer Success, our sales team, and/or me!