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Sorry I was Gone So Long (& a Look at Sorry Trademarks)
I’ve been a bad blogger. I am sorry. To make up for my bad behavior, I thought it appropriate to reengage with an examination of sorry marks. Although I think Marcus Singletary’s recent trademark registration application for JUSTICE FOR TRAYVON for hooded sweatshirts is sorry, that’s not what I meant. I meant trademarks that include the word SORRY.
Would you believe there are 101 USPTO records containing the word SORRY, of which only 41 remain LIVE. There are 22 registered marks and 19 pending applications containing the word SORRY. Of course, there’s the family favorite, SORRY! board game pictured above, for which Hasbro owns 3 U.S. trademark registrations: one for a board game (issued in 1930); one for a parlor game (issued in 2002) and one for card games (issued in 2005). Hasbro also owns a pending application for SORRY SLIDERS for a TV game show (sign me up!!)
Now I am wondering if I should have said I am sorry through ImSorry.com. IMSORRY.COM is federally registered for “providing an on-line electronic bulletin board for transmission of messages among computer users for expressing their feelings about their personal relationships.” Not only can you publicly –yet anonymously — send messages through ImSorry.com, they also offer apology gifts to help you right your wrongs. When you’re concerned that you may have annoyed someone yet the right words are hard to find, a woman named Jewel Periandri has a federally registered trademark for SORRY I PISSED YOU OFF greeting cards. And if you’re a doctor who’s concerned you may have committed medical malpractice, you should probably consult the folks at Wojcieszak & Denton who offer “training services in the field of preventing medical malpractice lawsuits” under the federally registered mark SORRY WORKS! If you’re feeling sorry for yourself, it may brighten your day to know you can buy some SORRY brand apparel, or if you’re feeling really down, SORRY BASTARD brand apparel.
In 2010, Nathan Dubrowski filed 5 applications for SORRY marks for apparel, all of which were filed intent to use and now await Dubrowski’s submission of evidence before maturing into registrations:
I can see why he left the periods off the SORRY I’M and SORRY I AM marks, but when it comes to the SORRY I’M A POTHEAD mark, I wonder if that’s his excuse for his poor punctuation. Maybe Dubrowski should hook up with the folks at Sorry for Partying, LLC “a lifestyle brand connecting those who need an elegant way to apologize for doing everything wrong, yet so right” (according to its Facebook page), which has applied to SORRY FOR PARTYING for apparel & game tables, sunglasses & beverage sleeves, advertising services & social networking. These almost make me sorry I investigated sorry marks, I guess I thought there would be more contrition and less sarcasm, but then again . . .
This has been my long-winded way of apologizing for my absence. I hope you enjoyed it! Please drop me a line in the comments or by e-mail if there’s something IP related you’d like me to investigate.
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Old-timers of my generation are likely to recall the great mark SORRY, CHARLIE for tuna. US Reg. No. 3308028.
Thanks for reading and commenting on my post, Bob. Even I recall that mark and I am *only* 41! I will admit I was surprised to see that such registration remains LIVE, as I wasn’t aware the mark remained in use, but then again, I don’t like canned tuna.