Trade Marking Your Name Isn’t Ego. It’s Strategy.

The true sign of a slow news week, which often coincides with the international break in football circles, is when the media sensationalises a story with minimal context. This week, the spotlights has fallen on Cole Palmer, the Chelsea football player, after the media reported that his company, Palmer Management Limited, successfully registered two trade marks with the UKIPO: his name, COLD PALMER (UK00004129017) and his autograph (UK00004129092).

A Smart Move, Not a Self Indulgent One

These UK registrations follow the recent registration of several EU trade marks for COLE PALMER (019120392), COLD PALMER (019120465), his autograph (019120543) and even his “cold” celebration (019120480).

News outlets and social media reported the story as they do best, with overreaction. The tone of some reports suggested this was a vanity move and almost used it as a stick to beat him with. However, in reality, the move should be applauded as a wise business move that is less about ego and more about commercial control of his brands. In the current landscape, where young athletes need to build their image as carefully as their sporting performance, protecting your name and associated brands is both advisable and increasingly standard practice for well-known athletes.

What it Actually Means to Trade Mark Your Name

A trade mark isn’t a declaration of ownership over a word or name in every context. Instead, it’s a legal tool that gives someone the exclusive right to control how that name is commercially across specific goods or services. For example, on clothing, merchandise, promotional materials, etc.

Some social media commentary joked that the fictitious "brand police" were lurking along the Kings Road (where the Chelsea football stadium sits), ready to fine anyone who used Cole Palmer’s name in conversation. Of course, that is not how trade mark protection works. It doesn’t stop people saying his name on TV, printing it on the back of a football shirt or attempting his ‘cold’ celebration after a tap-in at a local 5-a-side game;  it simply protects the name and related mark at a commercial level.

Trade Marks Cole Filed

Cole’s company filed 5 different applications for the marks COLE PALMER, COLD PALMER, his autograph, his “cold” celebration and even his face at the UKIPO and EUIPO.

All of the marks have now either been registered or accepted by the relevant offices and are currently in the opposition period, with the exception of the EU “face mark,” which appears to have faced an objection, given the extended examination timeline.

The marks cover a wide range of goods and services, some of which have inevitably caught the media's attention. Core terms such as clothing, sporting articles, football entertainment services are all covered, as expected. Perhaps more surprisingly, at least to those unfamiliar with trade mark practice, are goods such as cosmetic body paint, razor blades, boot polish, underwater vehicles, drones and even teddy bears.

We are unlikely to see Cole Palmer-branded drones anytime soon, but Cole’s extensive list of protected terms aligns with common trade mark practice: filing broadly to secure wide-ranging protection. This approach helps to deter potential counterfeiters, future-proofs for potential commercial deals, defends against potential parodies, etc.. Whilst “overclaiming” is a topical issue currently (see Skykick), these applications and registrations indicate the practice of seeking broad protection remains prevalent.

Why Has Cole Sought Trade Mark Protection?

The commercial opportunities available to athletes today are virtually limitless. As Cole’s profile continues to rise, so too does the value of “Cole Palmer" - the brand. Trade marks are valuable commercial assets, and securing these registrations allows Cole to monetise his brand with confidence. For instance, by licensing it to partners and earning royalties from future collaborations.

Trade mark registrations provide Cole with a powerful tool to stop third parties selling goods or services branded with his name or other brands. For example, opportunists attempting to profit from a perceived association with Cole Palmer by adding his name on their merchandise. In other words, it means no third party can legitimately profit from selling goods or services bearing the COLE PALMER name without permission.

Trade mark registrations future-proof Cole’s name and his brands for projects he may engage in down the line. While it is unlikely he will become the face of an underwater vehicle brand, who is to say that he won’t enter into commercial partnerships with brands from unexpected sectors as his career plays out, e.g. cosmetic brands, supplements, etc.

In addition, they provide a sense of security as the registrations help to ensure that Cole’s name and image are used commercially in line with the image he wants to portray.

Good Company

Cole’s trade mark strategy, namely to file his name, nickname, autograph and imagery is a progressive approach. However, he is far from the first athlete to seek trade mark protection for self-brands.

Other notable trade mark registrations at the UKIPO include:-

•  DAVID BECKHAM (UK00901796721)
•  CRISTIANO RONALDO (UK00916809485)
•  LIONEL MESSI (UK00906353131)
•  HARRY KANE (UK00003648729)
•  ERLING HAALAND (WO0000001757402)
•  Kylian Mbappé’s “crossed arms" celebration (UK00917157355)

While it’s somewhat unusual for Cole to have filed these trade marks so early in his career, at just 22, he’s already been outpaced by Lamine Yamal, who has registered his own-name (WO0000001857631) and celebration (019112402) marks at the remarkable age of 18.

Modern Athletes

Trade mark considerations are smart moves by the players (I suspect the commercial teams backing the players are owed some of the credit here too) as it is always recommended to file your trade mark as early as possible.

While the media and some of their more vocal readers may express surprise at such filings, these are, in fact, wise business decisions. Athletes have long enjoyed lucrative commercial opportunities, but today those opportunities are virtually limitless. Trade mark registrations serve as an effective tool to protect brands as they become more public-facing. Registering a name or other self-brands doesn’t indicate that athletes are egomaniacs who are declaring a monopoly on their name, it’s a business-savvy, textbook example of proactive professional brand protection and management.

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