Church Announcements | Lizzo is "100% That B[rand]" | Upcoming Founder Events
The doors of the firm are open.
Welcome back, folx.
And welcome to the 200+ new folx who’ve joined since last month.
Come on in…
The doors of the church firm are open.
And if you know folx who’d enjoy our #ChurchAnnouncements, hit that share button below…
What are #ChurchAnnouncements?
noun.
Definition: A moment in a worship gathering where events, “need to know” information, and opportunities to connect & engage are officially announced.
Synonyms:
The church “tea” (but not the messy kind)
That insider info (but not the illegal kind)
The plug
The time where Cuba Gooding Jr. will announce that he always loved Lilly (Beyoncé) and will quit his advertising job to lead the church choir. #FightingTemptations
After four long and laborious years, Lizzo is finally granted an entitlement to Trademark the phrase “100% that B*tch” in association with various goods and services, including:
Non Fungible Tokens or NFTs;
T-Shirts;
Virtual Networking Environments;
Entertainment Services;
Virtual Reality Video Games; and
Musical Instruments (well, obvi…).
And we love to see it…
The journey was not an easy one.
Lizzo attempted to Trademark “100% that B*tch” back in 2019, shortly after her 2017 hit “Truth Hurts” song made the Billboard Hot 100 in 2019.
But the USPTO said, “no can do, Lizzo.”
And why? Well, by the time she filed to own the brand, virtually everyone was using the brand, so she couldn’t protect what was now a “commonplace” expression.
But Lizzo kept going.
She appealed to the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (“TTAB”) to show that every time someone saw the term “100% that B*tch,” they thought of Lizzo, and not anyone else.
With her lawyers’ help, she essentially told the USPTO she was really “that girl…” (#lawyersforthewin)
Eventually, the USPTO agreed.
And as of today, Lizzo’s Trademarks have now proceeded to publication (the penultimate step to registration).
So…you’re probably wondering: What’s the Trademark tip in this?
It’s simple: Protect the Brand before you Promote the Brand.
Lizzo had two years to Trademark the brand before it became a 2019 hit.
But the filing didn’t happen until after everyone was using it.
And by then, it was too late.
And once refused, years (and huge amounts of dinero) needed to be invested to prove that Lizzo was truly that B*tch.
Register your brand early so you can monetize your brand without headaches later.
Wanna own “100% that [Brand]” without headaches?
Sign up for our upcoming Tech Design & Trademark “Ask Me Anything” Session Here (March 9, 2023) : https://bit.ly/m/FFTC-Events (recordings will be sent to registrants).
Thanks to the 50+ folks who signed up.
Looking forward to seeing more of you there…
#ForTheCulture
Want to protect your brand as you scale your impact?
We’ve got you covered:
Firm for the Culture Presents: Design for Community, Brand for Connection on March 9, 2023 (10:30 a.m. PST | 12:30 p.m. CST | 1:30 p.m. EST)
In this discussion, Tova, Co-Founder and Chief Design Officer of the best Productivity App Groove, and Ruky, Founder of Firm for the Culture, will answer the following questions:
“How can Trademark law help my business protect my brand as I build community?”
“How do I foster community amongst my clients and consumers?”
“I have so many dynamic clients who just NEED to know each other, how can I do that without making fifty-leven email introductions a day?”
Register here and get groovy with us: bit.ly/m/FFTC-Events
Founder Events & Opportunities
We’ve got a lineup of cool founder events happening this month.
If you’re in the area, check these out:
[New York City]: Twitch presents: Black to the Future:
An Exploration of Black Innovation in Art, Cuisine, and Technology
Date & Time: February 23, 2023, 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM EST
Location: New York City (address in RSVP link below)
[San Francisco]: Solid Grounds presents: Coffee & Convos: Building Solid Community for Black professionals & Creatives
Date & Time: February 23, 2023, 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM PST
Location: San Francisco (address in RSVP link below)
[Sacramento]: Roseville Venture Lab presents: Optimizing your LinkedIn Presence + coffee, conversations, and networking
Date & Time: February 24, 2023, 8:30 AM - 10:00 AM PST
Location: Sacramento/Roseville Area (Address in RSVP link below)
And #ThatsAllFolx….
The Doors of the Church Firm Are Open
Like what you’re seeing?
Want to monetize your brand through Trademark protection?
Know someone who’d love this community just as much as you do?
New to the community?
Thanks for reading.
See you next time.
#ForTheCulture