Despite Recent Claims He is Not Running, Kid Rock Files Trademark Application For KID ROCK FOR SENATE

Despite claiming on October 24th that he is not running for Senate in 2018, on October 26th Robert J. Ritchie (that's Kid Rock's real name) filed a trademark application for KID ROCK FOR SENATE with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. This appears to be the first application for KID ROCK FOR SENATE filed by Robert J. Ritchie and the only trademark application filed by him in 2017.

The application covers a few broad goods and services that will likely need to be clarified further before this application can register:

• Paper goods and printed matter (Class 9);
• Entertainment services (Class 41); and
• Clothing (Class 25).

Kid Rock filed this application on an intent-to-use basis, suggesting he is not currently using this mark with the listed goods and services but has a bona fide intention to do so in the near future. TMEP 806.01(b); 15 USC 1051(b). Before this application can fully register, and assuming there are no other issues with it, Kid Rock will need to actually start using this trademark with the listed goods and services and submit sufficient proof of such use to the Trademark Office. TMEP 902; TMEP 904.

How do we know this Robert J. Ritchie is actually Kid Rock? Despite the fact that the mark references Kid Rock, there are a couple other indicators: (1) the address listed in the application (a Tequesta, Florida P.O. box) appears to coincide with Kid Rock's charity and is the same address listed in Kid Rock's AMERICAN BADASS BEER COMPANY and KID ROCK trademark registrations and (2) the attorney listed in this application is the same attorney listed in many other Kid Rock trademark applications and registrations, including the registration for KID ROCK.

Is Kid Rock actually running for Senate or is this just a publicity stunt? Notably, this trademark application does not include "political campaign services," which is often included in trademark applications for political campaigns, such as the application for Evan McMullin's logo I blogged about last year. Therefore, unless and until Kid Rock further clarifies the goods and services listed in this application, submits specimens showing use of this trademark, and/or files a new application that covers political campaign services, we may have to take his word that he is not actually running for Senate in 2018. Bummer?