As noted frequently in this blog, trademarks and pop culture often intersect. See prior posts on Tim Tebow, Linsanity, Charlie Sheen, Donald Trump, Occupy Wall Street, Paris Hilton, Jersey Shore, and more….
Last year’s music and video sensation was “Gangnam Style” by Psy. Released in July 2012, the song and dance became a phenomenon. See Wikipedia post.
The USPTO trademark filings reflect the phenomenon. Prior to 2012, there were zero trademark applications or registrations featuring the word “Gangnam.” Today, there are at least 18 pending applications featuring the term.
Here are a few [click for USPTO records]:
GANGNAM STYLE – Coats for men and women; Hooded sweatshirts for MEN AND WOMEN; Men’s and women’s jackets, coats, trousers, vests; Sweatshirts for MEN AND WOMEN; T-shirts for MEN AND WOMEN
Gangnam Style Hot Wings – Cooked chicken, namely hot wings and chicken wings
Gangnam Style Chicken – restaurant services
GANGNAM – Hair products, namely, hair pieces, hair extensions, hair for use in weaving hair, wigs, and ponytail hair pieces
Gangnam Soup – porridge; soup in powder form
Gangnam Attitude – Diaries; Notebook paper; Notebooks; Notepads; Paper notebooks; School supply kits containing various combinations of selected school supplies, namely, writing instruments, pens, pencils, mechanical pencils, erasers, markers, crayons, highlighter pens, folders, notebooks, paper, protractors, paper clips, pencil sharpeners, writing grips, glue and book marks; Spiral-bound notebooks
GANGNAM STYLE – Plastic character toys; Vegetable-based snack foods; Alcoholic beverages except beers
GANGNAM STYLE – t-shirts
GangNam Galbi – Meats, prepared, seasoned and marinated
Gangnam Style Slots – Computer game software for use on mobile, cellular phones, tablet devices, desktop and laptop computers
Gangnam Speed Runner – playing computer games; Computer game software
GANGNAM-STAIN – Chemical, biochemical and biotechnological agents for industrial and scientific purposes, namely nucleic acids, enzymes, polymerases, reagents for staining and marking, molecular probes, none of the foregoing for medical or veterinary purposes; Kits comprising chemical, biochemical and biotechnological preparations for scientific purposes for sample preparation, purification, lysis, modification and manipulation of cells as well as for the performance of marking, separation, isolation, purification, amplification and analytical methods for biopolymers, namely nucleic acids, enzymes, proteins, macro molecules and biologically active substances for separation, analysis and purification of biological and biochemical compounds, namely nucleic acids made from biological and biochemical sample material, none of the foregoing for medical or veterinary purposes
Gangnam Kit – Computer application software for mobile phones, cellular phones, tablet devices, desktop and laptop computers, namely, software for use as a soundboard; Computer game software
GANGNAM GIRLS – Entertainment services, namely, the production and distribution of television programs; On-line entertainment services offered over a worldwide communication network, namely, providing a website featuring non-downloadable video and audio clips, game programs, promotions, namely promotional trailers of television programs for entertainment purposes, information in the form of non-downloadable fact sheets relating to television programs, and other multimedia files containing text and drawings relating to television programs; Entertainment services, namely, live performances and personal appearances by individuals and characters associated with television programs; Fan club services offered over a worldwide communication network, namely, providing a website featuring downloadable video and audio clips, games, promotions, information relating to television programs and other entertainment, and other multimedia materials relating to television programs; Video game cartridges, cassettes, discs and tapes; computer game programs, cartridges and discs; downloadable computer game programs; interactive game programs; interactive game software; video games for mobile devices, personal computers, consoles, and tablets; downloadable electronic game programs; electronic game software; cinematographic apparatus; protective carrying cases specifically adapted for wireless telephones, MP3 players, digital cameras, personal digital assistants and handheld computers; cameras; digital cameras; prerecorded DVDs featuring entertainment and music; downloadable audio and video recordings featuring entertainment and music; eyewear, namely, sunglasses, eyeglasses and ophthalmic frames and cases therefor; and eyewear accessories, namely, straps, neck cords and head straps which restrain eyewear from movement on a wearer
And here are the one’s owned by Psy’s production company YG ENTERTAINMENT:
What will be the big pop culture story of 2013? And will the trademark filings follow it?
