Kanye West's Trademark Application

The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has recently denied Kanye West’s Trademark Application for the phrase ‘Sunday Service’ for merchandise because someone else already got the phrase registered five years ago.  Kanye West’s attempt to trademark the phrase made headlines this year in July. The phrase ‘Sunday Service’ is also the name of the gospel-inspired live performance series, which he brought to Coachella in April 2019. The rapper had filed the trademark application to use the phrase on apparel, including jackets, socks, footwear, shirts, dresses, hats, etc.

According to various reports, West has failed to trademark the phrase ‘Sunday Service’ as a person named Jeff Jonas, also widely known as DJ Escape, got the same phrase trademarked in 2014. Jeff had applied for Trademark Registration of ‘Sunday Service’ as it corresponds to conducting, organizing, arranging, and hosting events related to social entertainment, entertainment like live music at clubs or concerts, musical and artistic performances, organizing exhibitions for entertainment purposes, music tours, disc jockey performances, and dance parties and night clubs. As per Jeff’s Facebook page, he runs a New York-based event series known as ‘Sunday Service.’

The USPTO declined the trademark application by stating that the phrase would result in the likelihood of confusion as West’s filing to trademark the same was also related to music. However, Kanye West can still submit more arguments and evidence within six months of the trademark application’s denial to support his filing. In case he doesn’t come forward to take any action, his trademark application shall be abandoned.

Till quite some time, West’s Sunday Service events were not open to the general public and were attended by only his friends and celebrities, including Brad Pitt, DMX, Dave Chappelle, amongst many others. In the past month itself, West made his Sunday Service event a pop-up event open to fans in various cities, in a campaign to publicize and promote his brand new album titled ‘Jesus is King.’