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NEWS > BUSINESS > KFC FILES FOR COPYRIGHT ON WORD "CHICKEN"

KFC FILES FOR COPYRIGHT ON WORD "CHICKEN"

April 5 2008

Louisville, KY – In reaction to the ongoing controversy over KFC’s call to ban chicken fried steak (read original article here, and follow up here) the company, a wholly owned subsidiary of YUM! Brands, has filed for copyright protection and patent and trademark application with the United States Patent and Trademark office.

“There is no other company in the world as firmly associated with a single product,” said a statement released on their website. “KFC and chicken are nearly one in the same as it is, it is only correct that we firmly establish our claim over a product that we are so identified with. It is our corporate responsibility to protect our brand, both for our customers and for our shareholders.”

The application is being met with mixed reactions. Wall Street has reacted positively to the news, while consumers and competitors have had a far less enthusiastic reaction.
“YUM is now in a more solid “buy” position now. By staking the claim to this property they are cementing themselves as the premier distributer and brander of chicken in the world. They will have little competition once this goes through,” said analyst David Kindrey.

“It’s just not fair,” said Daryl Hamble, owner of Hamble’s diner in Louisville. “It’s the little guy being run over by the corporate giant. I don’t understand why they can’t just leave us alone. They have all the money already and we’re just trying to feed our families. We can’t let this happen.”
Whether it’s going happen is really the issue at stake. Very rarely have patents or trademarks been issued on items or ideas commonly in the public domain.

“It’s going to be a difficult argument to make to be sure,” said patent expert Maria Henderson. “My guess is their argument is going to be that “chicken” isn’t the scientific name and presumably their application would be limited to foodstuff and the food industry, not to the animal itself. It will be interesting to see the application when it becomes public.”

The company is wasting no time in pushing the application forward, already using contacts and lobby groups in Washington, the patent office will hear the company’s argument in early May, months faster than most applicants are heard.

“For the same reason that YUM! Applying for this, the government recognizes the need to pursue this quickly,” continued analyst Kindrey. “It will be controversial and they will want to head off criticism. But also with the current instability in the economy, infighting amongst major companies will do no one any good. It is the best thing for everyone that we see a quick resolution to this, hopefully a positive one.”

William Ashford, Business Correspondent

NEWS > BUSINESS > KFC FILES FOR COPYRIGHT ON WORD "CHICKEN"

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