ITV This Morning quotes Charlotte Duly on the “Wagatha Christie” trademark
Rebekah Vardy has trademarked the phrase "Wagatha Christie" after losing her libel case against Coleen Rooney.
The trademark covers everything from broadcasting to beauty lotions to beverages, as well as stationery, jewellery and fashion design.
Charlotte Duly, Partner and Head of Brand Protection, comments for ITV This Morning.
She suggests the trademark may be an attempt to benefit from potential “commercialisation” stemming from public interest around the trial and act as an “insurance policy”.
Speaking to PA, Charlotte said: “You wonder why she doesn’t let it go away. It’s not been a great episode for her has it?
“But it might be a control thing, it might be a fear of Coleen bringing out a range of goods and services that are branded and maybe stop her rather than to make any profit from it.
“There’s been a massive media frenzy … that tends to create sufficient interest that people might want a T-shirt, for example, or a mug that says ‘Wagatha Christie’.
“I just wonder if it’s more sort of riding on the back of that publicity – people have been quite engaged with it and have found it entertaining.
“Perhaps it’s that sort of element of it where there is some value instead… so make some money.
“It could be getting in there before someone else does and trying to have that control.
“Maybe there’s no intention to use it, maybe it’s a fear that somebody else will start using it so it’s a way of trying to shut it down.”
Charlotte says that the trademark was a “great right” for Mrs Vardy to have as others looking to use the phrase for goods and services would be at risk of trademark infringement.
