Friday, July 21, 2017

Warner Bros. Files Applications to Register Hufflepuff, Gryffindor Emblems as Trademarks

It looks like you'll have to go through Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. if you want to use the Hufflepuff or Gryfinndor emblems as trademarks. On July 17, the company filed applications to register the emblems seen below as trademarks with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

The applications for both emblems cover the same variety of merchandise, including the goods listed below:
Warner Bros. filed all these applications on an intent to use basis, suggesting (but not necessarily meaning) they are not using these marks in conjunction with the listed goods yet but have a bona fide intention to do so in the near future. TMEP 806.01(b); 15 USC 1051(b)

I'm not a Harry Potter guy, but aren't there more than two houses? According to my quick search, these are the only emblems filed by Warner Bros. (in 2017 at least) related to Harry Potter, but maybe the other emblems are coming soon.

Determining whether Warner Bros. owns a registration takes some work, however, considering the company owns 956 active trademark applications or registrations with the USPTO, including several standard character mark applications for the house names (and that doesn't include unregistered, common law trademarks). Earlier this year, Warner Bros. filed several applications for BUTTERBEER covering a variety of goods ranging from clothing items to dessert puddings to watches.

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