This week, a YouTube video featuring a goofy woman doing a goofy “prancing” exercise workout exploded virally. The video has more than 3 million views! (See below).
Behind this viral internet sensation, there is is a trademark lesson here as well. The star of the video has properly protected her trademark – well in advance of the media storm this week. Meaning that if someone attempts to copy her brand name now, or register a related domain name or social media username and use it in her field of exercise, she is in a much better position to handle such a dispute. And because she has a registration with the USPTO in place, it would likely make it quicker, easier, and less expensive to resolve any such problems.
The brand is well protected because:
- PRANCERCISE® is registered with the USPTO since 2011 for with ‘physical fitness instruction services’
- See USPTO records here: http://tsdr.uspto.gov/#caseNumber=85190875&caseType=SERIAL_NO&searchType=statusSearch
- The video begins and ends with a title screen that properly uses the registered trademark symbol alongside the PRANCERCISE® brand name. This is an excellent example of properly using the trademark.
- Her website at www.prancercise.com also uses the trademark registration symbol effectively and prominently.
- A separate page on her website goes into more detail about the trademark rights and proper trademark usage. http://prancercise.com/legal/
The owner of Prancercise – Joanna Rohrback – was ready for her brand’s moment in the sun. Are you?
