Seat Barna

Toyota i-Veek

So, Toyota have applied to register “i-Veek” as a trademark in the US and EU

The applications are specifically to cover: “Automobiles and structural parts thereof”

So, cars then.

They’ve applied to trademark ‘i-Veek’ as a trademark for cars, as in, for the name of a car. Toyota (or one of its associated brands) MAY be going to release a car called the ‘i-veek’

The applications were both lodged on 12 July. I would usually have picked up on it sooner, but it’s been a busy week.

This is new news people.

You can tell, by doing this, google “Toyota i-veek”

Google Doesn’t Know about it.

Therefore, the world doesn’t know about it.

Well, until now, obviously.

Now, for some housekeeping. In the last week I’ve exclusively broken stories about Harry Potter and Conor McGregor trademarks, and the keyboard warriors of the world have come out to say that just because someone registers a trademark, doesn’t mean they are going to use it, and in this case doesn’t mean that ‘i-Veek’ is going to be the name of a new Toyota. This is true. It might not be, let me be very clear about that, applying for a trademark does not necessarily mean that you’re going to release a car in that name.

BUT –

Most countries (and certainly the EU, where one of the applications have been made) have a requirement in registering a trademark that you are using or have a Bone Fide intention to use the mark you are applying for. So, in very basic terms, if you don’t use it and aren’t planning on using it, you aren’t supposed to apply for it. Ditto with the mark being revoked if it hasn’t been used within a certain period of time (5 years in the EU).

AND –

Here’s a list of all the trademarks filed by all Toyota companies going back to April 2012. It strikes me that they are not the kind of company that register trademarks for things they aren’t using or don’t plan on using.

For those reasons (and again, purely speculating) I’m guessing Toyota are soon going to announce the i-Veek.

As always, a credit or link if you’re going to run the story would be much appreciated!