The rise in popularity of the cryptocurrency sector, the metaverse, and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) has given brands a new way of connecting with their audiences, including the beloved media franchise Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT).
Recognizing the opportunity, Viacom International Inc., the owner of the franchise, has filed for two trademarks for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles-related crypto-collectibles, NFTs and NFT-backed media, as well as NFT and crypto-collectible transfer software.
Both filings with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on September 6 were revealed by licensed trademark attorney Michael Kondoudis in a tweet on September 12.
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The first of the two trademarks will allow the fans of anthropomorphic crime-fighting turtle brothers Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael to download multimedia files containing TMNT artwork, as well as virtual goods like crypto-collectibles and NFTs.
As for the second application, it pertains to a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) which aims to allow the creation of software to transfer crypto-collectibles and application tokens, and a Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) which would facilitate software for accessing crypto-collectibles and app tokens.
In addition, the second trademark application also anticipates the provision of online non-downloadable computer software for enabling the transfer of crypto-collectibles and NFTs.
Cryptocurrency-related trademark filings
The franchise is just one of the latest in the long list of celebrities, brands, sports teams, and organizations filing for Web3-related trademarks. One of the other major newcomers is the automaker Ford which made its big move into the metaverse by filing as many as 19 Web3-related trademarks.
Meanwhile, the number of crypto trademark filings in the United States alone surpassed 3,600 between January 1 and August 31, 2022, beating the entire year of 2021 during which 3,516 crypto trademark applications were filed, as Finbold reported.
