Taylor Swift may be a songwriter at heart, but the pop star has now added professional business acumen to her list of ever-increasing talent.
The 25-year-old singer has trademarked a slew of phrases from her album 1989 which include but are not limited to “Party Like It’s 1989,” “This Sick Beat,” and “Nice to Meet You. Where You Been?”
But Taylor’s not the only celeb cashing in on her own words – here are a few others who’ve been in touch with United States Patent and Trademark Office to cash in on their fame and talent.
1. Paris Hilton
Paris Hilton filed the application to trademark ‘That’s hot’ – her catchphrase from reality TV show The Simple Life – and was successful.
However, the trademark only applies to clothing and “services in the nature of recording, production, and post production services in the fields of music, video and film”, according to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
2. Beyoncé and Jay-Z
Music’s biggest power couple Beyoncé and Jay-Z filed their application to trademark “Blue Ivy Carter” just a few days after their daughter was born in January 2012.
The name was successfully registered as a trademark and lists Beyoncé’s company, BKG, as its owner.
3. Donald Trump
American tycoon Donald Trump tried to take advantage of the catchphrase “You’re fired” from from his TV show The Apprentice by attempting to trademark it. Sadly for him, his application was denied, but you can’t blame the man for trying.
Although we’re not sure what Lord Sugar would have made of it.
4. Rachel Zoe
Celebrity stylist Rachel Zoe, famous for her reality TV show The Rachel Zoe Project, came up with catchphrases “bananas” and “I die” on the show.
But in 2009, the phrases became part of a legal row when T-shirt designer Christopher Sauvé launched a ‘free the fruit’ campaign, using the TV star’s “corporate trademark”.
However, there is no record of Rachel filing an application to trademark “bananas” on USPTO, and although she did register “I die”, the application was abandoned in September 2013.
5. Jenni “JWoww” Farley
Jersey Shore beauty Jwoww filed documents with the USPTO to trademark her nick name and was successful. According to USPTO, the mark applies to “on-going reality based television program” as well as blogs and journals and lifestyle feature articles.
6. Michael Buffer
You might not recognise the name but you would know his catchphrase. Michael Buffer’s decision to trademark ‘Let’s get ready to rumble’ in 1992 proved extremely profitable.
By selling the rights to his mark to movies and video games makers, the American ring announcer for boxing and professional wrestling matches has made more than $400 million (£354m), according to ABC News.
7. Tim Tebow
The NFL player Tim Tebow registered his trademark for ‘Tebowing’ (bowing down on one knee with your fist to your forehead) in October 2012.
The athlete claims he’s not trying to make money off the mark, saying he just wants “to just control how it’s used, make sure it’s used in the right way”, according to ESPN New York.
8. Ryan Lochte
We’re not really sure what ‘Jeah’ means or signifies, but Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte filed trademark applications to apply the phrase to everything from swim goggles and sunglasses to jewellery and socks and was successful.
9. 50 Cent, aka, Curtis Jackson
Rapper Curtis Jackson, more popular as 50 Cent, sued Taco Bell back in 2008 for over the chain’s allegedly infringing commercials for its certain menus because he owns the trademark.
The musician’s trademark applies to everything from shirts and pants to ‘pre-recorded phonograph records’, according to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
10. Anthony Davis
New Orleans Hornets basketball player Anthony Davis trademarked the two phrases ‘fear the brow’ and ‘raise the brow’ in June 2012.
The mark applies to a number of products from aftershave to entertainment services, according to the USPTO. “I don’t want anyone to try to grow a unibrow because of me and then try to make money off of it,” the star told CNBC.
11. Michael “The Situation” Sorrentino
Michael Sorrentino registered to trademark his nickname to use in men’s grooming products as well as health and fitness products but his applications were rejected.
12. Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi
Another Jersey Shore star who trademarked her name was Snooki. The mark “Snooki by Nicole Polizzi” applies to tanning products, beauty products and clothing.
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