LOL? Why Is P&G Seeking Registration of Three-Letter Acronyms for Soap?

Procter & Gamble (P&G) has filed federal trademark applications to register several well-known (at least among millennials) acronyms used in text messages, including LOL (laughing out load); NBD (no big deal); WTF (what the f***); and FML (f*** my life). The applications identify cleaning products, including liquid soap, dish detergents, surface cleaners, and air fresheners. P&G’s products include brands such as Febreze air freshener, Dawn dish detergent, and Mr. Clean surface cleaner, so perhaps the applied-for marks would be used in association with those existing products. But that’s just a guess, as the applications were filed with an intent-to-use basis, meaning no specimens of use are provided yet.

Earlier this month, the USPTO issued initial Office Action refusals for all four applications, primarily involving minor clarification issues related to the identifications of the cleaning products. However, one of the applications, for FML, received a likelihood-of-confusion refusal, citing previous “FML” registrations, so we’ll see how that pans out. Additionally, two of the applications, LOL and NBD, received requests for information regarding the meaning of the acronyms. (Perhaps the Examining Attorney is not a text-savvy millennial?) Otherwise, it appears that the majority of these four applications will probably be approved for publication eventually, pending resolution of the clarifications and requests for information.

Nevertheless, even if the applications reach registration, the decision to seek registration for these ubiquitous acronyms might seem questionable from a branding perspective, for a couple reasons. First, these acronyms are so commonly used in a variety of contexts, and have such a well-known informational meaning, that it may be difficult for the marks to become strongly recognized by consumers as distinctive source indicators, pointing to P&G and their cleaning products. Second, it is difficult to discern any logical or beneficial association between the well-known meaning of the acronyms and cleaning products. In particular, two of the acronyms have a relatively negative or vulgar meaning (WTF and FML), so it is questionable why the company would want such meanings associated with their products. Perhaps some tenuous play on the acronyms being “dirty” words that would be cleaned up by P&G’s products? Then again, I’m more a legal than marketing type, so perhaps there is a more creative strategy that I’m not thinking of — and again, it’s hard to guess how the marks will be used at the intent-to-use stage.

What do you think about P&G’s decisions to file these trademark applications for their cleaning products, from either a trademark or branding perspective?

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