Celebrity Trademarks: Michael Jackson, an Intellectual Property Goldmine?
The recently deceased superstar was known by many names: the King of Pop, M.J., Jack-o, and the list goes on. We also recognize him either as a dark-skinned cherub-faced child or a pale, middle-aged man with over-processed facial features. Why don't we also know him as an Intellectual Property Goldmine? Love him or hate him, the supremely talented character was a genius when it came to securing various forms of intellectual property during his long and decorated career as an artist and performer. Michael Jackson brilliantly relied on copyrights, trademarks, and even patents to protect his work, and was an avid collector of others' proprietary works.
Jackson registered his name with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and held a multitude of trademarks ranging from performances to merchandise to fan clubs. Even for a personality as distinctive as Jackson, trademarks played an important role in further distinguishing him from others.
Not only did Jackson guard his own work and attributes, he even acquired copyrights to other music. He owned a 50 percent stake of Sony/ATV, a joint venture which controls publishing rights to two hundred and fifty one Beatles songs. Jackson famously outbid Paul McCartney to purchase the song-copyright catalog in 1985. Today, Sony/ATV is estimated to be worth upwards of $1 billion dollars.
Amazingly, Michael Jackson even patented his very own invention, a method and means for creating an anti-gravity illusion. The patent features a shoe interfitting with a peg protruding from a stage and enables a wearer to lean forward at a 45 degree angle to the floor without falling. It certainly appears to be unprecedented for a musician to have obtained a patent himself.
Michael Jackson's memorial is this Tuesday, July 7, at 10am at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Allegedly, the chances of getting struck by lightening are better than the chances to get tickets. Wanna try your luck anyway? Register here.
