Thursday, June 9, 2016

HODOR Trademark Filed for Door Stops

Yes, that's right. An applicant in New York (who appears to be known for toilet-shaped dog and cat bowls) filed a federal trademark application on June 3rd for HODOR in Class 020 for "[d]oor stops of wood." Those of you who saw the Game of Thrones episode from three weeks ago know what this is about. For those who don't, I won't spoil it. Very creative indeed, applicant.
Despite the creativity, I do not see the USPTO registering this mark. Stamping a large phrase across an item like this is often considered ornamental use, rather than trademark use. These means the subject matter is "merely a decorative feature" and "does not identify and distinguish the applicant's goods." This is seen a lot in trademark applications for phrases on shirts.

This application also suggests a connection with the HBO show, which is never good if one does not have a license. While this application is certainly clever, the chances of it actually registering are minimal.

2 comments:

  1. Any update on this filing? It looks like it is now a registered trademark?

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  2. It did register, somewhat to my surprise, but only on the Supplemental Register, which does not include the significant benefits of a registration on the Principal Register (including nationwide rights).

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