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Specsavers seeks to trademark 'should've' catchphrase Specsavers seeks to trademark 'should've' catchphrase
(35 minutes later)
Optician group Specsavers has had its plan to trademark the use of "should've" and "shouldve" approved by the UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO).Optician group Specsavers has had its plan to trademark the use of "should've" and "shouldve" approved by the UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO).
The company uses the phrase "should've gone to Specsavers" in its adverts.The company uses the phrase "should've gone to Specsavers" in its adverts.
The trademark application means that other companies will not be able to use that form of words in their marketing.The trademark application means that other companies will not be able to use that form of words in their marketing.
Rivals have until 12 October to make objections to the claim, the Intellectual Property office said. Rivals have until 12 October to make objections to the claim, the IPO said.
It said that applications for trademarks on common words could be made where they were linked to a company through "use or association".It said that applications for trademarks on common words could be made where they were linked to a company through "use or association".
"It is surprising that the office has accepted this trade mark for a single word, which is a verb in common usage," said the trademark lawyer Tania Clark from Withers and Rogers. "It is surprising that the office has accepted this trade mark for a single word, which is a verb in common usage," said trademark lawyer Tania Clark from Withers and Rogers.
"It means that the retailer could soon have the right to exclude others from using the word 'should've' or 'shouldve' when communicating about certain classes of goods, including optician services, medical hearing aids and eyewear," she said. "It means that the retailer could soon have the right to exclude others from using the word 'should've' or 'shouldve' when communicating about certain classes of goods, including optician services, medical hearing aids and eyewear."
It is relatively uncommon for companies to trademark a word in common usage, but Carlsberg secured a trade mark for the word 'probably' in 1993 in the UK, Ms Clark said. It is relatively uncommon for companies to trademark a word in common usage, but Carlsberg secured a trademark for the word "probably" in 1993 in the UK, Ms Clark said.