Pink Files Legal Action Against Pharrell Williams Over Musician’s Proposed P.Inc. Trademark
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Lawyers who represent Pink filed legal paperwork against Pharrell Williams on Thursday, claiming he should not be allowed to register a trademark for his P.Inc. business since it’s too much like, well, “Pink.” The singer, whose real name is Alecia Moore, applied for the “PINK” trademark in 1999 and officially registered it two years later, according to the paperwork which her lawyers filed on behalf of her Lefty Paw Print, LLC business.
“[Williams’] P.INC Mark is similar to the PINK Marks in sight, sound, meaning and commercial impression,” the filing claims. “[Williams] and [Pink’s] goods and services are identical and/or closely related. … [Williams] is likely to market and promote its goods through the same channels of trade and to the same consumers as [Pink].”
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Since Pink’s lawyers believe a P.Inc. registered trademark could damage Pink’s business, they’re asking the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board of the United States Patent and Trademark Office to uphold their opposition to Williams’ registration and “any and all further relief” it deems befitting.
Reps for Pink and Williams did not immediately respond to Rolling Stone’s request for comment.
Billboard reports that another company has also opposed Williams’ P.Inc. trademark: Victoria’s Secret, which has sold lingerie under the “Pink” banner since 2002. “Applicant’s mark is highly similar to, and is the phonetic equivalent of, opposer’s ‘PINK’ marks,” its filing said.
Williams was on the receiving end of a similar legal action last month. Chad Hugo, who rounds out the production duo the Neptunes with Williams, claims Williams “fraudulently” sought control of the Neptunes trademark. “Throughout their over thirty-year history, [Hugo] and Williams agreed to, and in fact, have divided all assets,” the filing stated. “By ignoring and excluding [Hugo] from the any and all applications filed by applicant for the mark ‘The Neptunes,’ applicant has committed fraud in securing the trademarks and acted in bad faith.”
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