Patent Office Sides With Kylie Minogue: Kylie Jenner's Attempt to Trademark Shared First Name Is Not Cool The singer's representatives had dismissed Jenner as a 'secondary reality television star' in their bid to stop her from trademarking the name 'Kylie' in the U.S.
By Laura Entis
Opinions expressed by BIZ Experiences contributors are their own.
Update, Feb. 7, 2017: The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office recently handed Australian pop singer Kylie Minogue a victory when it rejected Kylie Jenner's application to trademark the name "Kylie."
Jenner has already filed an appeal.
Original story, published on March 5, 2016, follows.
Kylie is on a mission to stop Kylie.
More specifically, Australian pop singer Kylie Minogue wants to block Kylie Jenner's application to trademark the name "Kylie" for advertising and entertainment purposes in the U.S.
KBD, an Australian firm that represents Minogue, last week filed an opposition to Jenner's trademark bid. KBD didn't mince words, labeling the 18-year-old "a secondary reality television personality." It also characterized her role in Keeping Up With the Kardashians as a mere "supporting character." In the eyes of the firm, "Ms. Jenner's half sisters, Kim, Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian" are apparently the real stars of the show.
Ouch.
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KBD didn't stop there, either. While describing Minogue as an "internationally renowned performing artist, humanitarian and breast cancer activist" who has "worldwide record sales of over 80 million and tours regularly around the globe," the firm brought attention to Jenner's past and controversial posts on social media that have "drawn criticism" from disability rights groups and African-American communities.
All in all, the firm argues, if Jenner is allowed to trademark "Kylie," Minogue's image and selling power will suffer, chiefly because people could -- God forbid -- mix up the two Kylies. "Such confusion would inevitably result in damage to [Minogue]," KBD writes.
