Can you register THE as a trade mark?
Can you register THE in relation to clothing as a trade mark in the United States? After nearly three years of trying, Ohio State University the USPTO granted the university a registration for the THE in relation to a limited list of goods including “t-shirts, baseball caps and hats” in class 25. The USPTO examiner had originally objected to the mark on the basis that it would be viewed as a decorative ornamental feature, rather than an indication of source. But Ohio State’s