Brands, T-shirt makers line up to trademark coronavirus pandemic; USA Today, April 7, 2020

Nick Penzenstadler, USA Today; Brands, T-shirt makers line up to trademark coronavirus pandemic

"[Josh] Gerben [a Washington intellectual property attorney who’s been tracking daily filings] pointed out that trademark office examiners are perhaps the best equipped federal employees to keep working through the pandemic since most already telework. Trademarking is a lengthy process, he said, typically taking four months for an initial examination of an application and about eight months before a trademark is finalized.

Gerben pointed out that trademark office examiners are perhaps the best equipped federal employees to keep working through the pandemic since most already telework. Trademarking is a lengthy process, he said, typically taking four months for an initial examination of an application and about eight months before a trademark is finalized.

Examiners use simple tools such as Google to determine whether a phrase is unique. To receive the protections of exclusive national rights, a mark must be both distinct and already in commercial use by the filer. That means the dozen individuals applying for “I survived COVID-19” could be denied exclusive rights, especially if startups on Etsy or other do-it-yourself websites are selling items. 

Trademark holders will have to consider the business ethics of profiting from a pandemic that’s killed thousands."

Ivanka Trump's firm seeks new trademarks in China, reviving ethical concerns; CNN Money, June 5, 2017

Jackie Wattles and Jill Disis, CNN Money; Ivanka Trump's firm seeks new trademarks in China, reviving ethical concerns

"Ivanka Trump's business, which mostly makes clothing and accessories, says the latest trademark applications were filed to block others from profiting off of her name, not because she wants to sell the products in China.

But that's still a problem, says Larry Noble, the general counsel for the nonprofit, nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center, a watchdog group.

He said the family's continued ties to their businesses raise questions about whether their profit motives could influence U.S. relations with other countries.

"China knows that to deny these applications would get a negative reaction from the president, and to expedite their approval would get a positive reaction from the president," Noble said."