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A Tune Everyone Could Play But Only Nokia Could Brand

The famous Nokia Tune comes from bars of Gran Vals, a guitar composition by Francisco Tárrega, is a classic example of a non-traditional trademark. Nokia adopted the melody as its signature ringtone and later registered it as a sound trademark in several jurisdictions, making it one of the world’s best-known examples of sound branding.

It perfectly illustrates the difference between an expired copyright, which places a work in the public domain, and a trademark, which can protect a brand identifier indefinitely as long as it remains in use and is properly maintained.

IP Fun Fact

 

That’s Hot” : A Catchphrase Worth Fighting For ​

Paris Hilton’s iconic catchphrase “That’s Hot” wasn’t just a reality TV slogan, it became valuable IP. She filed to trademark the phrase in 2004 (officially registered in 2007 under Reg. No. 3209488), and when Hallmark used the phrase and her likeness on a greeting card without permission, she sued.

Hallmark tried to get the case dismissed under California’s anti-SLAPP statute (a law meant to fast-track dismissal of lawsuits targeting free speech on public issues), but the Ninth Circuit let her claims proceed and Hallmark eventually settled.

IP Fun Fact

 

The Dog That Was Secretly a Vacuum Cleaner​

Fight fear with fluff was essentially the idea behind U.S.Patent No. 3,771,192. In the early 1970’s, Anne MargaretZaleski patented a “Combination Toy Dog and VacuumCleaner,” hiding a vacuum inside a life-sized toy dog tomake grooming less intimidating for nervous pets.

The dog’s tail doubled as a retractable vacuum hose, whilethe plush body muffled the motor’s noise. A rare casewhere “every dog has its day” also meant getting its ownU.S. patent.

The Dog That Was Secretly a Vacuum Cleaner-2

IP Fun Fact

 

Tired of traffic? Why not commute like a bat?​

Did you know a patent existed for exactly that? Granted in 2012, US Patent 8,087,609, based on the flight of bats (Chiroptera) the “Dynamic human/wind powered flying suit” by David A. Moore, arose from man’s ancient desire to fly. It describes a wearable bat-like wing suit where the pilot flaps their limbs in a swimming motion to generate lift, turning the wearer into their own aircraft.

IP Fun Fact

 

Can a sandwich be patented?​

In the late 1990s, Smucker’s patented the “sealedcrustless sandwich,” U.S. Patent No. 6,004,596, for itsUncrustables, claiming a method of trapping jellybetween layers of peanut butter and crimped bread.Yet when the company sued a small bakery forinfringement, the patent was challenged andultimately revoked by the USPTO after finding thatsealing a crustless sandwich this way simply wasn’ta novel idea.

IP Fun Fact

 

Sink or Swim?

Long before inflatable life jackets, inventor Paschal Plantpatented a wearable flotation device the “Cork SwimmingSuit” (U.S. Patent No. 267,799) in 1882. Consisting of anetting of strong cords and small cork pieces thataccording to him fit like a “small scale armour,” it wasdesigned to replace heavy, waterlogged cloth.

Cloth was out, cork was in, and comfort was presumablynegotiable, but whether it actually kept anyone afloat isanother question.

IP Fun Fact

 

Spray. Paint. Copyright.​

Did you know street artists can legally own thecopyright to graffiti they painted illegally? Copyrightautomatically protects original art the moment it isfixed in a tangible medium, even if the canvas is a wall.

This creates a fascinating legal paradox, on one end abuilding owner can have the artist arrested forvandalism, but on the other, if someone copies thatexact same mural for merchandise without permission,the artist can sue for copyright infringement.

IP Fun Fact

 

Prince’s Purple Tale​

Did you know that a particular hue of purple can be used as an effective piece of intellectual property? The Estate of Prince (a legendary American singer, songwriter, a) worked with Pantone Colour Institute to develop “Love Symbol #2,” a unique purple colour based on the purple piano of Prince. This particular colour illustrates how a unique colour can be tied to a celebrity or brand.

IP Fun Fact

 

The Rolling Stones’ Lip and Tongue Logo​

For their 1970 European Tour, The Rolling Stones turned to designer John Pasche and asked him to design a symbol which would be applicable to posters, programmes, stationery and press releases. Using Mick Jagger’s idea about the tongue of the Hindu goddess Kali, Pasche designed an iconic “tongue and lips logo” which was meant to embody the rebellious nature of the band. What began as tour art gradually became one of the most recognisable brand identities.

IP Fun Fact

 

50 Cent’s Trademarked Persona​ ​

Famous American rapper Curtis James Jackson III, known as “50 Cent” has turned his stage name into a valuable commercial asset. 50 Cent is a registered trademark in the US giving 50 Cent legal protection over how 50 Cent is used commercially. Beyond music 50 Cent has taken action against companies that used 50 Cents name or persona in advertising without permission. This is a reminder that for artists and public figures a name can be much more, than a brand. It can be an important piece of intellectual property worth protecting.

IP Fun Fact

 

For better and better​

During the era of railroad expansion in the United States, train travel was becoming more common and thus passenger comfort and sanitation became important issues. Existing railroad bathrooms allowed dust, wind and debris from the track to enter into the passenger coach through the toilet opening. Then in 1874, Lweis Howard Latimer and Charles W. Brown patented an improved bathroom system for railroad cars. The invention was officially called “Water Closet for Railroad cars” and received Patent No. 147,363 in 1874. The invention included a pivoting bottom section which automatically closed when the toilet lid was opened and prevented dust, debris etc. from entering the passenger coach.

IP Fun Fact

 

Leg Godt!​

LEGO began in 1932 as a Danish woodworking shop started by Ole Kirk Christiansen. It grew to become one of the world’s valuable toy companies. The name LEGO is derived from the German phrase “leg godt” which means “play well”. The bricks we use today were protected by patents, such, as GB908097, which was filed in 1961. LEGO’s universe expanded further when Duplo arrived in the 1960s and the iconic mini figure was introduced in 1979 also under a patent. These inventions turned a pile of bricks into whole worlds filled with characters, stories and adventures.

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