Cross-Brand Collaboration - Should I Register?

The trend for unusual brand collaborations across sectors is continuing, with the announcement of a partnership between fashion brand PrettyLittleThing and Krispy Kreme doughnuts. But is it really a move that no-one saw coming? Not quite - the trade mark PRETTYLITTLETHING was registered for a wide range of food and drink back in 2019.

Brand owners planning to partner with a business outside their core sector should, as a minimum, be checking the trade marks register for any conflicting rights before they commit themselves. Should you apply to register your trade mark in the new classes of goods? It depends.

Cross-sector collaborations are often short-lived - the PrettyLittleThing doughnuts are limited edition and will only be on sale until mid-May. If your venture is truly a one-off then it may not be worth applying to register for the new goods, because the application process will take several weeks at least, and the ten-year protection for the registered mark