Is the UK IPO Ending Series Trademark Applications?
The UK IPO is ending the series trademark application for new filings. What was announced, when it takes effect and what it means for your logo versions.
Should You Trademark Your Company Name? The Lesson Behind the “1587 Prime” Steakhouse Dispute
Somebody asked me yesterday, “should I register my company name as a trademark?” You might imagine my immediate answer would be a straight yes. It wasn’t. When it is worth trademarking your name My answer was that you should definitely look at whether you can trademark your name if: You have a name, logo or […]
Scam Warning: Trademark Center UK, Have You Received A “United Kingdom Brand Registration Profile” Email?
One of our clients forwarded us another trademark warning email this week. This time it came from a company calling itself Trademark Center UK, under the subject line “United Kingdom Brand Registration Profile”. Their message to us was refreshingly simple: “Looks like spam, should I ignore?” Yes. But I want to walk through why, because […]
Trademark Renewal and Ownership: What the Beckham ‘Brooklyn’ Trademark Teaches Every UK Business Owner
Did you see the news earlier this year about Victoria Beckham owning Brooklyn Beckham’s name as a trademark? It is about to get interesting all over again, because that trademark is heading towards its renewal window, and it turns out to be one of the clearest real-world lessons in trademark ownership and trademark renewal that […]
Scam Warning: Alethea Law Trademark Website, Possible Impersonation Scam?
A client has recently brought another trademark related website to our attention. This one is slightly different from some of the other examples we have seen. Why? Because there appears to be a genuine business called Alethea Law Limited. There is an Alethea Law Limited registered at Companies House. There is also an Alethea Law […]
Tesla’s Cybercab Trademark Fight: Why You File Before You Announce
Tesla announced Cybercab and a French firm filed the name six days later. What the Tesla Cybercab trademark dispute shows about filing before you announce.
Scam Warning: Trademark Dept, Have You Received A UK Trademark Registration Email?
One of our clients has received another concerning trademark email, this time from a company calling itself Trademark Dept. The email was sent with the subject line: Legal Action Notice Immediate Attention Required Always a calm and reassuring start. The email claims that another party is preparing to file a UK trademark application for the client’s […]
Can You Still Use Your Own Name Once You’ve Sold the Brand? The Jo Malone Dispute
Can you still use your own name once you have sold the brand? It sounds like an odd question, but Jo Malone is facing exactly that, and it is a genuinely useful warning for anyone whose business is built around a personal name. What the dispute is actually about Estée Lauder has reportedly brought a […]
Gymshark Just Blocked a Copycat Called ‘GymBull’, and Why That Matters for Smaller Brands
Gymshark started life in a garage in Solihull, and this month it blocked a copycat trademark called ‘GymBull’. The garage bit is the part everyone loves, because Ben Francis was screen printing gym kit in his parents’ garage while working shifts at Pizza Hut, and Gymshark is now one of the biggest brand stories this […]
FIFA Made Levi’s Cover Its Own Stadium, and the Real Flex Was How Recognisable It Stayed
Source – James O’Connor FIFA: “Hey Levi’s, you’ll need to cover your name on Levi’s Stadium to meet our sponsorship rules.” Levi’s: “Sure thing.” It is malicious compliance, beautifully branded, and it is one of the better brand stories to come out of the build up to the 2026 World Cup. For the duration of […]
