Tonight, the Philadelphia 76ers take on the Toronto Raptors. Off the court, a very different dispute may be brewing for the 76ers.
According to reports, both the Philadelphia 76ers and their star center, Joel Embiid, are interested in obtaining trademark protection for the phrase "trust the process", which has become synonymous with the team's efforts to rebuild the franchise through drafting (and a fair bit of patience).
The 76ers reportedly filed a trademark application for "trust the process" in late September, whereas Embiid reportedly filed eight trademark applications for the same phrase in late November, covering items such as non-alcoholic beverages, toys, shoes, water bottles, bags, books, jewelry and cell phone cases.
The 76ers and Embiid do not only have each other to worry about in the quest to protect the "trust the process" phrase. There are reportedly multiple other individuals and organizations who have filed trademark applications relating to the phrase.
Author: Sandon Shogilev
Authors
Expertise
Insights
-
Intellectual Property Litigation
Rise of Trademark Phishing Scams
There has been a reported surge in trademark phishing scams. The Canadian Intellectual Property Office (“CIPO”) issued a statement warning of an email phishing scam targeting members of the public by… -
Intellectual Property Litigation
The Return of the Honda Element?
A few recent patent applications reveal that the Honda Element may be making its return to the automotive industry: The first patent application is a “camper for a vehicle”. The second… -
Intellectual Property Litigation
"Worldle" Faces a Wordle Hurdle
Kory McDonald, the creator of “Worldle”, a geography-themed game, is advocating on behalf of all games ending in “-le”. Worldle shows a series of Google Street view images from which players… -
Intellectual Property Litigation
Not a “Success Kid”
Steve King, the former Iowa Republican Congressman, has reportedly lost his appeal attempting to overturn a copyright verdict for using the “Success Kid” meme in his 2020 campaign. The “Success… -
Intellectual Property Litigation
All the Corollas of the Rainbow
Toyota has reportedly filed a patent application for a colour-changing paint that changes colour when exposed to specific temperatures and light sources. This technique involves painting the car… -
Intellectual Property Litigation
Alaska Airlines Not Soaring After Losing Appeal
Alaska Airlines (“Alaska”) recently lost an appeal over a trademark licensing agreement at the Court of Appeal in London, in a decision favoring Virgin Group. Alaska was ordered to pay approximately…