Boasting glamorous commercials with high production values, a recognizable "brand" and a million loyal brand champions, it was only a matter of time before opportunists started to look for ways to cash in. Now, both the 99% and the 1% are trying to claim 100% of the Occupy Wall Street and 99% movements.
On October 18, Robert and Diane Maresca, a couple from Long Island, New York filed to trademark "Occupy Wall Street" for use on "Clothing, shirts, sweat shirts, headwear, footwear."
"If I didn’t buy it and use it someone else will," reasoned Robert. The couple's pending trademark application for the movement is not the only one. Nor are private citizens the only ones trying to ride the populist wave.
It would almost certainly upset Washington's Occupy D.C. movement organizers and leaders to learn that, on October 6, Chris Angelo Word applied to trademark "Occupy D.C. 2012" for use on t-shirts. Word is a colon cancer survivor who also pitches Colonwealth cleanse supplements.
"Occupy" isn't the only sought after mark. Multiple applications to trademark variations of the "99 percent" motto have also been filed.
On October 7, Brooklyn resident Ian McLaughlin filed trademark applications to claim terms "We are the 99%" and "I am the 99%" for use on bags (including "hobo bags, sports bags, overnight bags, tote bags, gym bags, beach bags, backpacks, carry-on bags") along with "umbrellas, Clothing; headwear; footwear, Stickers; and bumper stickers."
McLaughlin, an ironworker, defended his applications, saying, ""When I checked, it was available for anyone to trademark. And if I didn't file, who's to say who else might have grabbed it?" (Sound familiar?)
Five days later, on Oct. 12, an application was made to trademark a term McLaughlin had passed up. An application was submitted to trademark "99%er" for use on many of the same simple consumer items previous applicants had covered. The interesting angle is that the "99%er" mark was claimed by Randolph & Co. Bail Bonds Inc. of Mesa, Arizona.
Continuing down the trough. On Oct. 11, one Carlton B. Dallas of South Carolina applied to trademark "Tear Down this Wall (Street)" for use on "Vehicle side view mirror cover."
None of this stops those without trademarks from plowing ahead with products. Sites like CafePress and Spread Shirt are already filling up with various wares printed with some variation of the 99% or Occupy slogans.
Then there are the corporate players.
MTV was spotted in downtown New York City's Zuccotti Park rush-filming an episode in its "True Life" reality series. The title: "I'm Occupying Wall Street."
Then there is Bing. The struggling Microsoft search engine is apparently buying Google news ad words for searches on the term "occupy wall street" such as "Wealthy Join 'Occupy Wall Street' Protests. Top News & Pics On Bing™."
From that buy, Bing dumps users onto its home search page, no results included.
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