18.11.2008
Yes we can - Chinese Companies Filing for Obama Trademarks
Chinese officials reported that the Chinese Trademark Management Office has been receiving an increasing number of “Obama” trademark applications (from 16 Chinese companies so far). Some entrepreneuers had a keen sense of the results of the presidential elections in the U.S.: As early as February, a pharmaceutical company in Guangzhou filed an application for “Obama”, to be used as a trademark for iodine, surgical spirit and traditional medicine. In March a shoe manufacturer in Wenzhou filed an application for “Mei Obama” and its translation “American Obama” on belts, jackets, children’s clothes and shoes. Apparently, the company had a strong belief in the future market value of that name. It is unknown, however, how many Chinese entrepreneuers were still rooting for Hillary Clinton at that time (on June 7, Clinton ended her campaign for the presidential nomination).
Now that the election is over, the run on the trademark “Barack Obama” has only increased. Following the slogan: “Yes we can!”, various companies have been filing Obama marks for all kinds of goods, from instant noodles and coffee to clothing and wooden logs. However, the chances that the trademarks can be registered are very low since names of politicians cannot be registered as trademarks in China.
Some entreprenuers are already looking into ways of circumventing this provision: Clothes labeled “Aobama” are already in production. The name sounds like “Obama” in Chinese. Honi soit qui mal y pense!
Keywords for this post:
China, Marken, trademarks
