Meghan Markle files for ‘archetypes’ trade mark ahead of podcast series

The word ‘archetypes’ entered into the English language around 476 years ago, and will be the name of Meghan Markle’s first podcast series. The audio show will discuss “labels that hold women back” and feature interviews with experts and historians.

The trade mark application was filed at the US Trade Mark and Patent Office by Archewell Audio, owned by Meghan and Prince Harry. The specification for the goods and services covers many entertainment services "in the fields of cultural treatment of women and stereotypes facing women", and includes podcasts, TV shows, DVDs, CDs and streaming services.

As the application was submitted last month and Meghan has recorded a trailer for the podcast, we suspect it will be available soon. Meghan’s podcast will be available to listen on the streaming giant Spotify. However, if the trade mark is registered, Archewell Audio will own the mark and not Spotify, which we presume will merely have permissions to use the mark.

It will be interesting to see if the application will be opposed in the opposition period, a stage in the process where third parties can formally object to the application, and if successful, can stop the trade mark from proceeding to registration. A potential third party could be Archetypes, a skincare business, which has already trade marked the word and uses it as its business title.

If you have any questions on the above, please do not hesitate to contact the team at McDaniels Law on 0191 281 4000 or legal@mcdanielslaw.com.