Can you own a certain shade of a color? Or, perhaps, lay claim to a specific sound? Well, if you ask T-Mobile, Reese's, or George Lucas, the answer is yes, you absolutely can. In fact, there are countless phrases, images, colors, and noises—some of which you likely encounter on a daily basis—that are actually someone's intellectual property, and they have the paperwork to prove it. So, before you find yourself on the wrong side of a cease-and-desist, read on for 35 weird trademarks you won't believe exists. We've even thrown in a few failed attempts to show you just how far some people go in the name of property and profit.
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30 of the Weirdest Trademarks Around
1. The phrase "That's hot"
Andrea Raffin/Shutterstock
Reality TV star, DJ, and socialite Paris Hilton made such an impression with her catchphrase "That's hot" that she decided to trademark it. She was so adamant about maintaining her intellectual property that she even sued Hallmark for the use of the phrase on a greeting card.
2. Photos of the Eiffel Tower at night
Tom Eversley/Shutterstock
Trying to sell your photo of the Eiffel Tower at night might just end up costing you in the long run. While the tower itself is part of the public domain (so feel free to snap away during daylight hours), its lighting display is a separate work of art—and a copyrighted one, at that. If you did want to sell your nighttime image of the magnificent illumination, you would need to request permission from the Société d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel, which runs the famous landmark.
3. Usain Bolt's "lightning bolt" gesture
Ververidis Vasilis/Shutterstock
Surprisingly enough, even a gesture can be trademarked. In addition to trademarking his name, runner Usain Bolt has applied to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to patent his signature "lightning bolt" victory move.
4. The Law & Order sound
David Giesbrecht/NBC
That "dun dun" sound that precedes every episode ofLaw & Order was created by composer Mike Post, and its trademark is owned by NBCUniversal Media.
5. Reese's orange
karen roach/Shutterstock
The orange color on your peanut butter cup's packaging isn't something you will see on any other food wrapper. If you flip that treat over, you'll see that Reese's wrappers clearly state that the "orange background color is a registered trademark."
6. The word "baggies"
Hannamariah/Shutterstock
You may use the word "baggies" as a generic name for plastic sandwich bags, but it's actually a trademarked term. "Baggies" is a registered trademark of the Pactiv Corporation, which owns Hefty and is a subsidiary of Reynolds Group Holdings—the folks behind Reynolds Wrap.
7. The phrase "Let's get ready to rumble"
Ivica Drusany/Shutterstock
Boxing and wrestling announcer Michael Buffer knew he had a good idea on his hands when he came up with the phrase "Let's get ready to rumble!" Buffer trademarked the phrase in 1992 and has reportedly made more than $400 million from licensing its use in the decades since.
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8. T-Mobile magenta
rafapress/Shutterstock
That bright pink on the signage at your local T-Mobile store is more than just a pretty color. T-Mobile is so adamant about magenta being its trademarked property that the telecom giant has issued cease-and-desists to multiple companies for using it without their permission.
9. Darth Vader's breathing sound
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Did you know you can even trademark the sound of someone's breath? Well, if the individual in question is Darth Vader, that is. That's right: Lucasfilm has actually trademarked Anakin Skywalker's famous under-the-helmet inhale and exhale—which was created by breathing through a scuba regulator.
10. The phrase "It's on like Donkey Kong"
Nicescene/Shutterstock
It may come as no surprise that Donkey Kong is a Nintendo trademark. That said, even die-hard fans of the gaming brand might be shocked to discover that "It's on like Donkey Kong," a phrase popular among '90s TV characters and sorority girls getting ready to spar, is also trademarked by Nintendo.
11. UPS brown
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Don't try to copy your UPS driver's look unless you want to talk to the company's lawyer. That chocolate brown shade—formally known as "Pullman brown"—is one of the company's many trademarks.
12. The term "superhero"
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While it may seem like a catchall for anyone with special powers and a cape, the term "superhero" is actually a trademarked phrase. However, somewhat interestingly (and to the dismay of fans who may prefer one company over the other), it's co-owned by long-time rivals Marvel and DC Comics.
13. Apple's slide-to-unlock function
EKIN KIZILKAYA/iStock
The slide-to-unlock gesture you used to unlock previous versions of the iPhone is more than just a cool feature—it's also a patent owned by Apple. The company even sued Samsung for $119.6 million for using a similar function and, after a long battle in court, won the decision.
14. And some of the things Siri says
Wachiwit/Shutterstock
Apple isn't shy about trademarking anything associated with their products—and that includes the sounds they make. In addition to the swipe-to-unlock feature, the company has also trademarked sounds made by its digital assistant, Siri.
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15. The term "realtor"
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Though the term is frequently used as a synonym for a real estate agent, "realtor" is actually a trademarked term. Try using it in the wrong context and the National Association of Realtors might just come calling.
16. The word "onesie"
SeventyFour/IStock
Think "onesie" is a generic term for a baby's one-piece garment? Think again. That name is actually the trademarked property of the Gerber Childrenswear Company.
17. Tiffany blue
Colin Hui/Shutterstock
That little blue box better be from Tiffany. While it's often imitated, that widely recognized shade of blue is specific to the jewelry giant and legally trademarked.
18. Boise State's blue football field.
Charles Knowles/Shutterstock
You'll want to think twice before installing blue turf on your local football field. The blue turf is a signature of Boise State University's football stadium—in addition to being the first school to have a non-green field, they also have a trademark on the turf.
19. Ping-Pong
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Ever wonder what the difference is between Ping-Pong and table tennis? The former is trademarked by games company Parker Brothers, and the latter is a generic term for the same game.
20. The phrase "This sick beat"
Tinseltown/Shutterstock
You may think your beats are pretty sick, but don't publish that thought anywhere Taylor Swift might see it. The songstress trademarked the phrase "this sick beat" from her hit single "Shake It Off," as well as "Nice to meet you, where you been?" and a handful of other utterances from her album 1989.
21. Post-It yellow
GCapture/Shutterstock
While you may see the color elsewhere, you won't catch the Post-It's specific shade of yellow on any office supplies unless they're made by its parent company 3M.
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22. Dry ice
v74/Shutterstock
Whether it's in your drink or being used in a science class, if you have referred to that solid carbon dioxide as "dry ice," you were at one point using a term that was the trademark of the Dry Ice Corporation of America from 1925 to 1989, when it officially expired.
23. Rapper 50 Cent's name
Jamie Lamor Thompson/Shutterstock
Can you really trademark a price? Well, you can if you're 50 Cent, and it's used as your name without prior permission. The rapper even went so far as to sue Taco Bell for using his name and image in an advertisement that suggested he change his moniker to 79 Cent, 89 Cent, or 99 Cent for a donation to the charity of his choice.
24. Barbie pink
A. Mertens/Shutterstock
America's favorite blonde-haired doll not only has a trademarked name, but even her favorite color is legally protected. And using the color—officially called Pantone 219C—is something that Mattel won't let you get away with. The brand even sued RCA Records for using the color in the packaging for Aqua's single "Barbie Girl"—the song's title and lyrics also got the band in hot water.
25. The phrase "Just a kid from Akron"
Josh Lefkowitz/Getty Images
LeBron James not only owns his opponents on the basketball court, he's also staked claim on a number of his signature phrases, too—most notably: "Just a kid from Akron."
26. The word "Bam!"
Leonard Zhukovsky/Shutterstock
It's totally fine to holler "Bam!" while whipping up a fine dining feast on your stove at home, just don't try to use Emeril Lagasse's signature shout to sell any cooking supplies. That's because the celebrity chef trademarked the utterance as it relates to kitchenware.
27. Guy Fieri's name
Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images
Food Network star Guy Fieritrademarked his name under International Class 30, meaning you can't use his moniker in association with virtually any food product. Oh, and he's got one for the phrase "flavor town" too.
28. Zippo's signature "click"
Nor Gal/Shutterstock
In 2018, Zippo announced that the sound its iconic windproof lighter makes has officially been trademarked. Though a sound trademark is not necessarily easy to obtain, the company was awarded based on the careful manufacturing process responsible for the highly recognizable sound. Other all-American brands, like Harley Davidson, have also tried to trademark certain sounds associated with their products, though they've been unsuccessful in their efforts.
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29. "Face" and "book"
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They may not mean much on their own, but together these two words represent one of the most powerful companies operating today. Both have been registered by Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook, Inc. The move has helped the company go up against other online entities who have used either the prefix “face” or the suffix “book” in their website names.
30. Donald Trump's "Make America Great Again"
White House Photo/Alamy Stock Photo
The 45th President obtained the trademark for his signature catchphrase "Make America Great Again" shortly after beginning his 2016 campaign. Today, Donald Trump's name is listed as the owner of over 300 trademarks in the U.S. database. However, one phrase you won't find on the list is "You're fired." The trademark office rejected his bid there due to the phrase being too reminiscent of "You're Hired," a trademarked educational board game.
31. Sarah Palin's name
mistydawnphoto/Shutterstock
In 2011, Sarah Palin and her daughter Bristol tried to trademark their own names. Palin claimed that she would use the trademark only for educational, entertainment, and motivational speaking services, but the application was eventually refused due to a missing signature.
32. "Snooki"
s_bukley/Shutterstock
Jersey Shore star Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi tried to trademark her nickname back in 2010 but the USPTO had already granted the rights to a cartoon cat six years prior.
33. The Amazon arrow
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If you thought the image of a curved arrow pointing upwards was free to use, think again. The image trademark was awarded to the online retailer in 2020. According to the company, the arrow represents both customer satisfaction as well as an endless product selection.
34. Karl Lagerfeld's whole look
Denis Makarenko/Shutterstock
Fashion giant Karl Lagerfeld was so celebrated for his white-powdered ponytail and signature sunglasses that he decided to trademark the whole look. More specifically, he sought the rights to his silhouette, which appeared on his company logo.
35. The New York Stock Exchange bell ring
Stuart Monk/Shutterstock
Don't try to use the sound of the New York Stock Exchange bell or you might end up paying dearly for it. The trademark registration is owned by the NYSE, as are the capitalized versions of the phrases: "Opening Bell" and "Closing Bell."
Wrapping Up
That's it for our list of weird trademarks, but be sure to check back in with us soon for even more strange trivia. You can also sign up for our newsletter to enjoy similar content, as well as the latest in wellness, entertainment, and travel.
