When Does a Signature Goal Celebration Become a Trade Mark?

In the fast-paced world of football, signature goal celebrations have become iconic moments that show off a player’s unique personality and prowess on the pitch. But when do these celebrations go from being jubilant displays to something that can be legally protected as valuable intellectual property?

This question is becoming increasingly relevant as England and Chelsea star Cole Palmer seeks to protect his unique ‘Cold’ celebration as a trade mark.

The Rise of the ‘Cold’ Celebration

Cole Palmer has found the back of the net an impressive 38 times for club and country since his move to West London from Manchester City in the summer of 2023. In that time, his ‘cold’ celebration has become somewhat of a calling card – partly due to the sheer number of times fans have seen it in a relatively short space of time.

So, it is no surprise that Cole, or rather his management company, has made a bid to monetise his name and celebration. If you haven’t seen it before, Cole rubs his arms up and down while puffing his cheeks after scoring a goal, with a movement that has been dubbed as ‘ice cold’ or the ‘shiver’.

A Strategic Move

Palmer Management Limited has recently applied for five trademarks in the UK: ‘COLE PALMER’, ‘COLD PALMER’, his signature, his own face, and a motion mark for his ‘cold’ celebration movement; all for a variety of merchandise, including clothing, jewellery, soaps, dietary supplements, and energy drinks. All five are still in the examination phase at the UK Intellectual Property Office, so there is still some time before they will be officially registered.

These filings are part of a strategic approach to controlling the use of not only his name but also his image and celebrations, using them to develop his personal brand so that he can make an additional profit (on top of those Chelsea wages).

What’s the Origin of the ‘Cold’ Celebration?

Interestingly, Palmer has admitted that he is, in fact, not the originator of the celebration.

That honor belongs to Palmer’s close friend, fellow England international, and former Manchester City academy teammate, Morgan Rogers – now starring in the Premier League for Aston Villa. The fact that they’ve both had to address the issue in interviews shows just how synonymous it’s become with Palmer, despite his own admission that he’s not the creator of the ‘cold’ celebration.

Ordinarily, if there are any issues with ownership of a trade mark, this can be used as a ground to challenge registration of a trade mark, but there seem to be no issues here as both have jokingly commented on it.

Footballers and Intellectual Property

Cole isn’t the only footballer to use their fame to their advantage. Here are a few other examples of footballers who’ve applied for trademarks:

• David Beckham: The iconic footballer has protected his surname, along with various other aspects of his brand, leveraging his immense popularity to extend into fashion, fragrance, and even an eponymous whiskey brand.

• Gareth Bale: Known for his ‘Eleven of Hearts’ celebration, Bale has trade marked the heart symbol he makes with his hands, as well as his shirt number ’11’. This has allowed him to create a range of merchandise that capitalizes on his unique celebration.

• Lionel Messi: Widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, Messi has protected his famous goal celebration where he points to the sky in honor of his grandmother. This trade mark extends to various promotional materials and merchandise.

• Kylian Mbappé: The French superstar has trade marked his distinctive crossed-arm goal celebration. This not only strengthens his brand but opens up avenues for commercial ventures that feature his signature move.

• Cristiano Ronaldo: One of the most marketable athletes globally, Ronaldo has secured protection for his iconic “Siiuuu” celebration. This trade mark is extensively used in his marketing campaigns, apparel lines, and other branded products.

Non-Conventional Trade Marks and How Pure Ideas Can Help

Palmer’s protection of his ‘cold’ celebration serves as an illustrative example of a non-conventional trade mark, both in implementation and application. This demonstrates that nearly anything can be safeguarded as a trade mark, provided it is not descriptive f (such as naming an apple brand “Apples”) or considered offensive.

At Pure Ideas, we specialise in helping you navigate the complexities of intellectual property. If you have a unique aspect of your brand or personal expression that you wish to protect, get in touch with us to see how we can help you with anything ‘non-conventional’. You can give us a call or email to organise an appointment to find out how Pure Ideas can help.