The short answer
A trade mark protects a name, a logo or a drawing used on goods and services. It does not protect a person, a pose or a movement. A footballer who files his name, logo and celebration drawing gets rights in those exact signs, only if he owns them and uses them.
What was filed
Marks & Clerk reported on 2 November 2026 that Chelsea striker João Pedro is seeking trade mark protection for parts of his personal brand. Other sports figures, including Cole Palmer in 2024 and Usain Bolt, have taken similar steps.
- A word mark: JOÃO PEDRO
- The JP9 logo, reportedly designed by Beats for his customised headphones
- A figurative mark: a cartoon-style man in his goal-celebration pose
Each UK application claims priority from an earlier EU registration at the EUIPO. The EU registrations were also reported as the basis for Madrid Protocol applications, but these were not yet visible on the registers when the article was written.
What a trade mark does and does not protect
A figurative mark protects the overall picture as filed. It does not protect the pose itself, a photograph of the pose, or the sequence of movement. Protecting movement would need a different type of mark.
Protected
The exact word, logo or drawing
Rights cover the filed sign for the listed goods and services.
Not protected
The pose or the person
A celebration or personality is not a registered right by itself.
Rights are kept by genuine use on the listed goods, packaging or promotion. The article expects to see the drawing on items such as clothing, drinks bottles and watches.
Ownership and filing risks
- Copyright: if Beats designed the JP9 logo, it is unclear who owns the copyright unless a contract says so.
- Distinctiveness: the JP9 logo is abstract, so the author asks why the word mark was not protected too.
- Madrid entitlement: the applicant is a UK company with Brazilian owners domiciled in the UK. Using the EUIPO as Office of Origin requires a real and effective establishment in an EU Member State, which the article doubts.
These are the author's observations on public information. The facts of the contracts and the company are not public.
Lessons for any personal brand
- Protect the name as a word mark, not only the logo.
- Sign a written assignment of copyright with every designer or sponsor.
- Check who is entitled to file before relying on the Madrid system.
- Plan real use of each mark on the goods you list.
The same logic applies in Bangladesh: founders, designers and influencers should register the name and logo at DPDT and keep the design contract clear.
Frequently asked questions
Can I trade mark a celebration or pose?
Not the pose itself. You can register a drawing of it as a figurative mark, which protects that drawing only.
Is a word mark better than a logo?
A word mark covers the name in any style. A logo covers only its look. Many owners file both.
Who owns a logo a sponsor designed?
The designer owns the copyright unless a written assignment says otherwise. Always sign one.
Protect your name and brand in Bangladesh
Register the name, logo and slogan with DPDT and settle the ownership paperwork first. Talk to the SUPREMEiP® team.
