Taylor Swift Has 1 of the Biggest Trademark Portfolios in the Industry, but Was Denied One for ‘Showgirl’
Taylor Swift’s latest album, The Life of a Showgirl, has led to a lawsuit filed against her. Maren Wade, a singer, has sued Swift, alleging that the album infringes on her trademark for “Confessions of a Showgirl.” Swift reportedly has one of the largest trademark portfolios in the entertainment industry, but she was unable to get one for her latest album.
Taylor Swift was sued over ‘The Life of a Showgirl’
In 2014, Wade began writing a column for the Las Vegas Weekly called “Confessions of a Showgirl.” She has since expanded this to a podcast and live show. Per The Hollywood Reporter, Wade has a trademark that covers live stage performances, theatrical productions, television, and more.
In Wade’s lawsuit, she accuses Swift of undermining her brand. While she has been using the name for years, consumers will likely believe she is copying Swift. The album’s release leans heavily on the “showgirl” aesthetic.
“They did not do so quietly,” reads the complaint. “Within weeks, the designation was affixed to consumer goods, stamped onto labels, tags, and packaging, and deployed as a source identifier across retail channels — all directed at the same audience Plaintiff had spent years cultivating.”
Taylor Swift reportedly couldn’t get a trademark for ‘The Life of a Showgirl’
Swift has more than 170 active or pending registrations, giving her one of the largest trademark portfolios in the entertainment industry. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office declined her attempt to register The Life of a Showgirl, however.
“Maren spent more than a decade building CONFESSIONS OF A SHOWGIRL. She registered it. She earned it,” Wade’s attorney, Jaymie Parkkinen, wrote in a statement (per NBC News). “When Taylor Swift’s team applied to register THE LIFE OF A SHOWGIRL, the Trademark Office refused, finding Swift’s mark confusingly similar.”
While Parkkinen said Wade respects Swift’s talent, she seeks to protect what she has built. Parkkinen noted that Swift’s legal team is well acquainted with trademark law.
“Indeed, they are not merely familiar with trademark law — they are among its most vigorous enforcers, having filed multiple federal actions to seize goods from vendors selling trademarked merchandise near concert venues,” the complaint says. “They possess direct knowledge of the harm that trademark infringement inflicts on a brand, having leveraged that very harm in federal court when it served their interests to do so.”
Wade wants Swift to permanently stop using “The Life of a Showgirl” as a brand name on products or services. She also wants the profits already earned from the branding, a jury trial, and further monetary compensation.
She previously spoke positively about the album
Before the lawsuit, Wade was vocally excited about the upcoming album. She shared hashtags promoting Swift’s album and wrote a post captioned “In my showgirl era.”
“People that are like, ‘Oh, I don’t like Taylor Swift’ — OK girl, if you’re not fun, just say that,” Wade said in a video captioned “Let us be excited for #TS12 #TheLifeofAShowgirl.”
At this time, Swift has not commented on the lawsuit.
