Talking Turkey Trademarks

Gobble, gobble. Thanksgiving is almost here.

My Thanksgiving routine has evolved over the years. I stay in Nashville instead of hitting the road. I smoke the turkey instead of roasting it. I walk the turkey trot (aka the Boulevard Bolt) instead of running it.

However, some things never change. And watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV is one of them. Obviously, the balloons are a highlight. Who can forget the day that Barney died?

The parade first took place in 1924, tying it for the second-oldest Thanksgiving parade in the United States. It might be the second-oldest Thanksgiving parade, but it’s the oldest Thanksgiving trademark in the USPTO database.

Surprisingly, there aren’t many Thanksgiving trademarks. By my count, there are only 35 Thanksgiving trademark registrations in the USPTO database, compared to over 700 Christmas trademark registrations. I guess Thanksgiving doesn’t have the same commercial appeal as Christmas—probably because there are no gifts involved. Well, unless you count a few extra pounds as a gift!