In a tweet earlier today, metaverse trademark attorney Michael Kondoudis announced that UMG Recordings, Inc. (Universal Music Group or UMG) has filed four new trademark applications to register Bored Ape NFT #5537 for various NFT, crypto, and digital currency products and services. The applications were submitted to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on March 31, 2022, and signal plans to use the Bored Ape logo for:

• NFTs + Multimedia backed NFTs

• Downloadable virtual goods linked to non-fungible tokens (NFTs) on the blockchain

• Online retail store services featuring physical and virtual merchandise

• Online marketplace for buyers and sellers of crypto collectibles and crypto-tokens

• Crypto and NFT trading

"These filings do not come as a surprise. Universal Music Group (UMG) continues to lead the way toward bridging the gap between the recording industry and NFTs with recent NFT collaborations and acquisitions," Mr. Kondoudis said. "Earlier this year, for example, UMG recently announced a partnership with the non-fungible token platform Curio and one of UMG's more popular recording artists, Billie Eilish, filed trademark applications for NFTs and related products and services."

It has been reported that UMG's 10:22PM label recently paid over $360,00 to purchase the Bored Ape #5537 (a female character now known as Manager Noët All) to lead its virtual band called Kingship. "These trademark applications are a logical step to legally protect that investment," Mr. Kondoudis opined.

"Also, recording artists and music labels filing trademark applications for NFTs is no longer unusual," Mr. Kondoudis observed. "Artists as diverse as Cher, Dolly Parton, Grandmaster Flash, Jay-Z, and KISS have filed similar applications as they begin preparations to participate in the virtual economy of the Metaverse."

"We expect the number of trademark applications filed by recording artists and music labels for NFTs and virtual products to accelerate as opportunities to monetize the Metaverse grow," Mr. Kondoudis concluded.

Michael Kondoudis is a Washington DC-based trademark lawyer who tracks Metaverse and NFT trademark filings at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Mr. Kondoudis does not represent UMG Recordings, Inc. or Universal Music Group.

https://www.mekiplaw.com/metaverse-trademark-attorney/

Links to the applications at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office:

http://tsdr.uspto.gov/#caseNumber=97341927&caseType=SERIAL_NO&searchType=statusSearch

http://tsdr.uspto.gov/#caseNumber=97341918&caseType=SERIAL_NO&searchType=statusSearch

http://tsdr.uspto.gov/#caseNumber=97341910&caseType=SERIAL_NO&searchType=statusSearch

http://tsdr.uspto.gov/#caseNumber=97341847&caseType=SERIAL_NO&searchType=statusSearch