With the constant stream of news reporting about the impending “fiscal cliff,” how can there be no U.S. federal trademark filings containing those two terms, at the moment anyway?
Federal intent-to-use trademark applications typically follow popular catchphrases (as Tiffany Blofield, Brent Lorentz and Jon Applebaum have written about before), even political ones:
- President Reagan’s “Trust, But Verify“: For computer monitoring services; radiation detection units; credit reporting services; business consulting; and pre-paid funeral expense services;
- James Carville’s “The Economy, Stupid“: For books about economics; providing a website about the economy; and clothing among other goods and services;
- President George H.W. Bush’s “Read My Lips . . .”: For board games; toys; computer utility software; dental brace attachments; and non-medicated cosmetic lip pencils; and
- President Obama’s “Yes, We Can“: For engineering services; mail order catalog services; providing elder care services; and wines.
Please forgive or at least indulge my political skepticism here, but I can’t help noting the irony that no one seems to want to really own the “fiscal cliff” catchphrase, or the problem.
So, what recent political catchphrases might be trademark-worthy branding assets in 2013?