Protect your Brand Name in the Metaverse

McDonald’s, KFC and Pizza Hut, three big names in the food industry have recently filed Metaverse trademark applications in the United States Patent and Trademarks Office (USPTO), announcing that they are planning to open a virtual restaurant in Metaverse. 

McDonald’s attracted great public attention with this move.  McDonald’s has filed multiple trademark applications for mark ‘McDonald’ securing, among other goods and services, the right to operate a virtual restaurant offering physical and virtual products. Mcdonald’s has also sought registration of its trademark ‘McCafe’ for entertainment services such as virtual and actual concerts conducted online.

Other famous brands like Pizza Hut, and Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) have also filed multiple trademark applications for Metaverse products and services with NFTs.  

Their trademark  applications included:

- Virtual food and beverage

- NFTs and NFT-powered multimedia

- Online stores with virtual goods

- Virtual restaurants with real and virtual products

Experts estimate that it may not be until 2030 for Metaverse to really take off. Still, aspects of the Metaverse currently exist. Ultra-fast broadband speeds, virtual reality headsets, and persistent always-on online worlds are already up and running, even though they may not be accessible to all. 

Conclusion:

Forward-thinking companies are already preparing their brands for the Metaverse. They are adopting proactive trademark registration for new types of products and services, especially for non-traditional marks, and also file separate applications for existing trademarks that cover virtual goods and services to guard against the new challenges and risks posed in the virtual world.  Some of the common trademark classes suggested include Classes 9, 35, 41 and 42, which encompass virtual goods and virtual spaces. Hence, it's high time for brand owners to register their brand/trademark in Metaverse and NFTs.