SPACE COAST WRITERS' GUILD

Topic: Trademark Name in Book Title

Valerie Allen - 12/24/2006 1:02:02 PM Chasing Oprah: How to Market and Sell Your Book is the title of my book on that topic. Oprah has a trademark on her name and variations of it. Can I use the name Oprah in the title of my book? Can I extract it, i.e., Finding OPRAHtunities to Sell and Market Your Book, or something similar?

12/26/2006 10:09:22 PM - Bill Allen For a possible indication of the repercussions of this, check out the website: http://www.dreamagic.com/oprah/letter.html. That having been said, Oprah is a public figure, and I would think you have every right to discuss her, as long as you don't slander her name, and the only way people know who you're talking about is if you use her name. I would discourage using it in a title though, and I would definitely consult an attorney. She's got plenty of money to make your life miserable.

1/1/2007 5:54:02 PM - Valerie Allen Thanks for the feedback. I went to the web site and printed out the info. Very helpful. I can now contact Oprah's attorneys directly and ask the question. I'll keep you posted.

1/19/2007 11:32:58 PM - Mary Brotherton Maybe after contacting the officials, you can get permission to use her name. I know celebrities get fussy about other people using their name to make money - maybe you and Oprah can work out a deal. I love the original title and hope you can find a way to use it. Of course, if you don't I know you will come up with something equally as clever.

5/20/2007 9:06:46 AM - Athena Sasso I would definitely contact an attorney to get an opinion about using that title. However, after reviewing the uspto website, I would not be surprised if you could use it. The Oprah you're chasing is a person. What if it were "Chasing Bill Clinton" or "Chasing Gore"? I'm just saying the attorney will be able to dig for you to see what exactly is protected by the filings Harpo, Inc. has made for the Oprah marks, i.e., what goods and services are protected. She is a public figure, just like a politician is, and I wouldn't be surprised if her name cannot be protected.

12/4/2007 7:09:06 PM - Valerie Allen Thanks for all the feedback regarding my book title. I liked the title of my marketing book, Chasing Oprah, but based on some legal advice I changed it. My book came out this week: Write, Publish, Sell! Quick, Easy, Inexpensive Ideas for the Marketing Challenged. However, for all of you Oprah fans, hoping for fame by association, I have included Oprah's address at HARPO INC. Worth buying the book just to get this information!