Posh registers Harper’s name as a trademark – at age 5!
AT five years old, she is unlikely to have her own career any time soon.
But that has not stopped Harper Beckham being turned into a trademark.
According to intellectual property office records, Victoria Beckham has registered her daughter’s name for use in a range of branded products, including make-up, toys and clothing. The Harper Beckham trademark has also been registered for use in the entertainment industry should she wish to follow her mother’s career as a pop star.
Mrs Beckham has also signed up the names of sons Brooklyn, 18, Romeo, 14, and Cruz, 12, to the UK’s Intellectual Property Office and the EU-wide office.
It means the children are now officially part of Brand Beckham – David registered his name in 2000 while Victoria trademarked hers in 2002 and the couple are worth around £500million.
Last night intellectual property expert Oliver Bray, partner at international law firm RPC, said it was unprecedented to trademark a five-year-old.
‘It normally happens when your career is getting going and a lawyer says, “Let’s get some protection in place”,’ he said. ‘As opposed to the future-proofing which is what Victoria Beckham has done with her children.
‘It may be a sign of the times with social media and the whole way in which celebrities are exploited.
‘In order to give you more levers to control your image, a trademark is an obvious place to go and it might be that society is driving the Beckhams to use these levers to protect their children in this more manipulative world in which we live. But from another point of view you could call it savvy. ’
Mrs Beckham has registered her children for trademarks covering six classes of products and a class for ‘entertainment services’.
They cover cosmetics such as perfume, lip gloss and anti-wrinkle creams, as well as books, umbrellas, music, clothing and dolls.
Brand expert Nigel Currie said the decision was wise, adding: ‘Obviously the Beckham name is worth something and they don’t want someone trading off it and using it to create their own brand.’
The Beckhams did not respond to a request for a comment.