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Taylor Swift sends in traditional new album trademark applications

By | Published on Wednesday 6 September 2017

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift is never happier than when she’s trying to trademark the clever words and phrases she invents. So it’ll be of no surprise to any of you that she’s put in a load of new trademark applications related to her new music, including no less than fifteen for her new album’s title, ‘Reputation’.

The musician’s penchant for trademarks began around the release of her last album, ‘1989’. Several years later, her claim to own that collection of numbers is still awaiting approval. As are four applications for the word ‘Swiftmas’.

To date, she’s had three out of numerous such applications approved. Of seventeen attempts to trademark ‘Swifties’ or ‘Swiftie’, she’s been granted the exclusive right to use that in relation to her live shows. She also owns ‘And I’ll write your name’ in relation to stationery, and ‘TS 1989’ in relation to recorded music and music-related email newsletters.

Now she’s back, and she doesn’t want anyone else trying to use the new phrases that are becoming synonymous with her music. The company Swift set up to manage her trademarks (you all have one of those, right?), TAS Rights Management, has applied to trademark ‘Look what you made me do’ and ‘The old Taylor can’t come to the phone right now’ – lines from recent single ‘Look What You Made Me Do’ – for use in a variety of settings, including both sunglasses and novelty sunglasses.

Among various applications for the word ‘Reputation’, she’s looking to stop anyone else using it on Christmas tree decorations and ornamental cloth patches, among numerous other things. There’s one application solely for pillows, even though pillows are already covered in another application. I’m not sure if this means she’s expecting her new album to send people to sleep.

Swift isn’t the only person with an interest in her lyrics, of course. Last year, Katy Perry trademarked a line from Swift’s song ‘Bad Blood’ when she used it as the name for a new perfume. That song was about her though, so it’s probably only fair. There’s a theory that ‘Look What You Made Me Do’ continues their feud, so perhaps Swift should watch out for new trademarked smells emanating from Perry.



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