Katy Perry's attempts at trademarking the 'Left Shark' design have been rejected
The Left Shark became a viral sensation after the 30-year-old singer's 'Superbowl' half-time performance when he seemed to forget the dance moves during the big show, becoming one of the most talked about people from her epic performance, which also included guest appearances from Lenny Kravtiz and Missy Elliott.
27 April 2015
The 'Firework' star subsequently applied to the US Trademark Office in an attempt to stop people making money from unofficial and non-licensed designs, after Katy's lawyers ordered Fernando Sosa to remove a design for 3D-printed model of the Left Shark's infamous costume through Shapeways.com.
However, the request was denied by trademarks examiner David Collier, as there wasn't enough evidence to suggest that people identified Left Shark with Katy's performance, and that the drawing submitted did not match the real Left Shark.
He wrote that the design "identifies only a particular character; it does not function as a service mark to identify and distinguish applicant's services from those of others and to indicate the source of applicant's services."
The trademark refusal comes after Katy announced she was selling a Left Shark Onesie on Twitter in March.
She posted: "ATTENTION INTERNET: NO LONGER DO YOU HAVE TO DIY LEFT SHARK COSTUME ... YOU CAN NOW BE A PROPER #LEFTSHARK WITH THIS OFFICIAL, GLORIOUS #LEFTSHARK ONESIE (sic)"
The pop superstar has also released a T-shirt emblazoned with a Left Shark, with the words "Current Mood" emblazoned across the front and "Katy Perry" and "#leftshark# on the back.
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