The U.S. Trademark Trial and Appeal Board ruled that officially Mariah Carey is not the “Queen of Christmas” – or even the holiday’s “princess,” despite her music being the unofficial anthem of the holiday season. One of the most recognizable parts of the Christmas holiday season is Mariah’s 1994 hit “All I Want for Christmas is You.” So given this fact, last year, the singer filed a petition to trademark the name “Queen of Christmas.”
But according to a press release by Elizabeth Chan, who is a Christmas music artist, Mariah’s petition failed. According to the press release, Chan is “the world’s only full-time Christmas music recording artist,” and has been vocal about her opposition to Mariah’s request. Along with other artists, Chan has held the nickname “Queen of Christmas for years.”
Mariah’s request to exclusively use the title was not only rejected by the trademark board but also “rejected and denied” her requested trademarks of “QOC” and “Princess Christmas,” reported CBS News.
But Mariah’s intention to use the title is not just for her own satisfaction, as she attempted to use it for a range of products, such as music recordings, perfume, lotions, eye-wear, protective face masks, human and animal clothing, and even various milks, with dozens of other products as well.
Chan said in a release that Christmas time is a time of giving, not a time of taking and that it is wrong for an individual to attempt to own and monopolize a nickname like “Queen of Christmas” for the purposes of abject materialism. “As an independent artist and small business owner, my life’s work is to bring people together for the holiday season, which is how I came to be called the Queen of Christmas. I wear that title as a badge of honor and with full knowledge that it will be – and should be – bestowed on others in the future,” said Chan.
WilmerHale is the law firm that represented Chan’s opposition. In a release, Louis Tompros, the firm’s partner, said that Mariah’s attempt was a “classic case of trademark bullying.” “We are pleased with the victory, and delighted that we were able to help Elizabeth fight back against Carey’s overreaching trademark registrations,” said Tompros.
This year, a formal opposition against Mariah’s request was filed by Chan, as she says, to “not just to protect myself, but also to protect future Queens of Christmas.”
If Mariah’s request had been successful, the singer would have been able to sue anyone using the term or selling products with that phrasing on it, the team said, as well as that she would also have been able to seek licensing fees and royalties. But Mariah did not stop harnessing all the Christmas phrases she can, despite the outcome of her trademark request, as she just released a picture book called “The Christmas Princess.” The book is a “modern fairy tale” about Little Mariah, who “doesn’t have much and doesn’t want a lot” besides peace and joy during the holiday season.
It seems like Mariah is trying everything she can to become ‘Christmas labeled.’