In brief
Pop superstar Taylor Swift is taking legal action against Cathay Home, a bedding company seeking to trademark the phrase 'Swift Home'. Swift argues that the trademark could mislead consumers into thinking she endorses their products, especially since the branding closely resembles her signature. The request was submitted to the US Patent and Trademark Office, stating that the trademark could falsely associate her with the company's offerings. Swift's team claims this move exploits her goodwill and recognition, and highlights her extensive portfolio of trademarks.
Pop star Taylor Swift has asked the US government to stop a bedding company's attempt to trademark the phrase Swift Home, saying it could mislead consumers into believing she had endorsed their products.Her legal team argued that the way Cathay Home has styled the word Swift in its branding closely resembled the singer's trademarked cursive signature.Cathay Home, which was founded in New York, says on its site that it sells products through major retailers and had applied for the Swift Home trademark for its bedding items. The BBC has contacted Cathay Home and the teams representing Swift for comment.Swift, represented by TAS Rights Management LLC, appealed against Cathay Home's application in a document issued to the US Patent and Trademark Office on Wednesday. The Swift Home mark creates a false association to the singer that may lead Cathay Home's customers to believe the pop star had endorsed its products in some way, the filing said. This was done with the intent of using Swift's goodwill and recognition for the company's brand, her legal team claimed.The documents indicated that Swift owns federal trademarks that protect the use of her name and signature on goods, including bedding, clothes, and products related to her music. Swift has filed more than 300 trademarks in the US and other jurisdictions, securing her name, initials, album titles, and some lyrics.The singer-songwriter is estimated to have a net worth well above $1bn (£730 million), bolstered by her recent run of record-breaking live shows around the world.
