KVR Audio

aMUSEd · Post by **aMUSEd** » Sat Jan 31, 2015 9:00 am

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-31039802

How many songs already contain phrases like "this sick beat" and "we never go out of style"? Seems like Swift is just stealing phrases that have been around for years and trying to stop other people then using them.

Maybe we should have a KvR competition in the Cafe for songs titled 'this sick beat'?

mcnelson · Post by **mcnelson** » Sat Jan 31, 2015 9:12 am

AFAIK, it's not that you can't use those phrases in your own lyrics, you just can't market merchandise using them -e.g. a "This Sick Beat" range of Tampons. In the USA.

aMUSEd · Post by **aMUSEd** » Sat Jan 31, 2015 9:29 am

Yes but the point is still that there is 'prior art' that uses that phrase and probably many of the others she has appropriated for herself. Why should she alone be allowed to merchandise products based on the phrase and not one of the many who used it before her?

The annoying thing is I am sure there will be a backlash against it but that will only generate her more publicity.

mcnelson · Post by **mcnelson** » Sat Jan 31, 2015 9:42 am

aMUSEd wrote:Why should she alone be allowed to merchandise products based on the phrase and not one of the many who used it before her?

Sadly, because she trademarked them before anyone else did. Perfectly legal, just douchey.

Gamma-UT · Post by **Gamma-UT** » Sat Jan 31, 2015 10:00 am

She's applied for trademarks. That doesn't mean she's going to be successful enforcing it. I think she's going to have trouble hanging on to "this sick beat".

Mr Arkadin · Post by **Mr Arkadin** » Sat Jan 31, 2015 11:06 am

I don't agree with this sort of trademarking of phrases and words (I'm looking at you Monster Cables!) but in this instance if you're using lame phrases like this you deserve to be sued.

Gamma-UT · Post by **Gamma-UT** » Sat Jan 31, 2015 11:14 am

There is one other problem with trademarking this sick beat. By the time it gets granted sick is probably not going to mean "sick" anymore but will be back to the old meaning of sick. Which will be illing.

VariKusBrainZ · Post by **VariKusBrainZ** » Sat Jan 31, 2015 11:28 am

But are these trademarks worldwide or just US?

Just I was setting up a new business manufacturing Egg Beaters in China, I cant reveal the slogan or Brand name Ill be using until my query is verified

Thanks,
Saylor Twift

Gamma-UT · Post by **Gamma-UT** » Sat Jan 31, 2015 11:30 am

VariKusBrainZ wrote:But are these trademarks worldwide or just US?

Just I was setting up a new business manufacturing Egg Beaters in China, I cant reveal the slogan or Brand name Ill be using until my query is verified

Thanks,
Saylor Twift

I think you'll find "The yolk's on yu" is already taken.

SODDI · Post by **SODDI** » Sat Jan 31, 2015 10:56 pm

Other phrases she wants to protect include "nice to meet you, where you been" and "party like it's 1989".

.

I wonder what The Purple One will have to say about the latter.

GaryG · Post by **GaryG** » Sat Jan 31, 2015 11:20 pm

Trademarks are strange, context is everything, look at this list of IBMs, particularly the 3rd from last one:

ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/TRADEMARKS.TXT

Quite amazing they were granted that.