The UK trade mark applications which Mills & Reeve filed on behalf of Chelsea and England footballer Cole Palmer in respect of his personal brand assets have all now been granted by the UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO).
The applications included the portrait mark (a photographic portrait of Cole Palmer’s face) and celebration mark (a video of him performing his famous goal celebration, which has been registered as a motion mark), as well as his name, signature and ‘Cold Palmer’ nickname.
The corresponding EU applications have also been granted by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) with the exception of the portrait application, which remains pending.
The personal brand assets of prominent individuals carry significant commercial value, yet English law offers limited default protection against unauthorised third-party exploitation, which can erode that value. The pro-active registration of those assets as trade marks helps to safeguard it.
Mills & Reeve has been experiencing increased demand from high profile clients seeking the firm’s innovative legal support on brand development and protection. The applications Mills & Reeve filed on behalf of Cole Palmer have attracted wide-ranging opinions from a broad range of commentators, from intellectual property lawyers to football fans.
Alex Newman, partner at Mills & Reeve who led on the successful applications, commented: “There has been significant speculation and commentary about these applications, and particularly Cole’s goal celebration.
“It was never about stopping other sportspeople, or kids in the playground, from doing the same or similar celebrations. It is about putting Cole in a better position to control how his name, nickname, likeness and goal celebration – which are all highly marketable aspects of his personal brand - are commercially exploited by others.”
Cole Palmer added: “Mills & Reeve have supported me, on and off the field, and are great to work with. They think outside the box and have recommended ways to protect my image and brand that are forward thinking.”
These registrations – and particularly the ground-breaking motion registration for Cole’s goal celebration – offer valuable insight into the scope of trade mark protection which may be available for the personal brand assets of sportspersons and other famous individuals.
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