Nintendo Seeks To Trademarks "It's On Like Donkey Kong" 183
eldavojohn writes "Nintendo has requested a trademark on the phrase 'It's on like Donkey Kong.' The phrase has been used in everything from rap to television in modern culture. From the article: 'The makers of the classic video-game franchise have filed a request with the US Patent and Trademark office to trademark the pop-culture phrase, "It's on like Donkey Kong." Nintendo claims that the catchphrase "is an old, popular Nintendo phrase that has a number of possible interpretations depending on how it's used."'"
Up next.... (Score:5, Insightful)
"I Nintendo'd that shit." -- Used to describe an act where you alienate people that previously liked you for a really, really stupid reason.
Nintendo (Score:5, Insightful)
I call shenanigans.
TFA says they're using it now to promote the new donkey kong country, but it seems like they're taking a phrase that the public created that is in the public domain and are trying to claim it as theirs.
Given the current dearth of Kong... (Score:2, Insightful)
It's gone like Donkey Kong.
Re:Will this pass muster? (Score:5, Insightful)
What do they gain? (Score:3, Insightful)
Don't you normally trademark something so that other people can't impersonate your work to give it a bad rep or something?
What does Nintendo have to gain by trademarking this phrase?
Identifying a Product (Score:5, Insightful)
If "On like Donkey Kong" was a phrase used to market a game that consumers though was the Nintendo property, there might be a case here. That is the only test that is used to determine whether a phrase or symbol infringes a trademark.
Corporations who frivolously try to grab intellectual "property" like this should have to pay the government fees for using up taxpayer funded resources.
Re:Nintendo (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Up next.... (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Up next.... (Score:4, Insightful)
Synonym ... "I Oracled that shit"
Cheap Advertising? (Score:2, Insightful)
How much does it cost to try to file for a trademark like this?
How much free advertising is Nintendo getting for their upcoming DK sequel from various news outlets for *trying* to?
Does anyone think Nintendo even *cares* if they get the trademark or not?