Sarah Palin Trademarks Her Name, Personal Brand

She’s trying to protect her commercial interests, monetize the brand she has built. Photograph by Therealbs2002, Wikimedia Commons.

Apparently, Sarah Palin and her daughter Bristol Palin, are trying to trademark their names. Yes, you heard me right.

This is the ultimate way to make your brand, personal or business, more profitable. I’m not surprised this news hit the fan right before the big weekend in football. The “S” word in football, is a registered trademark of the major football organization. They own it, among few other names. This enables them to charge businesses for using their registered trademark.

You better not try to use the “S” word, the lawyers are vicious and you will have a lawsuit on your hands. A hefty one, too. You have to pay a considerable amount of licensing fees to be able to use it. That’s capitalism at its best. Charge a ridiculous amount of money to be able to use one word. This is why radio stations, local bars, and businesses use “ambush marketing,” which basically uses a different term instead of the trademarked one. Such as “The Big Game,” “The Super Championship,” and the like. Most people know what they mean, so it does the job of using some of the event’s brand equity to promote their products and services. It’s legal.

How Does It Relate To Palin?

If the trademark will be granted to Sarah Palin and her daughter, they will be able to do what the major football organization does with their brand: charge licensing fees for use.

Is It a Smart Move By Palin?

Absolutely! Being able to have so much control over the use of your brand will increase your profits and offer some control over the commercial use of the name. She’s trying to protect her commercial interests, monetize the brand she has built.

“A trademark is simply a formal means to claim a brand that you have developed. Ultimately its power is that it gives you the ability to argue infringement if someone uses the brand you’ve developed,” Daria Giron writes in Palin Trademarking Her Name; Smart Business Decision or Narcissism? article on Technorati.

We will have to see if the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office will grant her the Certificate of Registration.