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Procter & Gamble Wants to Trademark WTF

By William Vogeler, Esq. on August 30, 2018 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

So let's get this right. Procter & Gamble wants to trademark WTF?

Sorry, but we're pretty sure they didn't coin the acronym or the phrase it represents. LOL.

Oh yeah, they want to trademark that, too. Wait, are we missing something?

FML

The company isn't trying to trademark all the messaging acronyms, just several -- including FML and NBD. If you need translations, you are too old to be texting. LOL.

Seriously, WTF are the company lawyers thinking? Why didn't they try to trademark USPTO while they were at it?

Maybe it's a public relations strategy to make everybody forget the Tide Pod challenge. Remember all those kids eating the detergent balls that look like giant jelly beans?

These are questions the Patent and Trademark Office may not answer. However, the PTO has asked P&G for clarification.

NBD

BTW, is it legal to trademark those popular acronyms?

"Actually, it is feasible," New Jersey attorney Ronald Coleman told AdWeek. He said it's about the difference between having a monopoly on a name or phrase and having exclusive use with a certain product.

Laurie Marshall, a New York attorney, said P&G's trademark claims should fly. For example, she said, LOL has been allowed in the past.

So NBD.

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