Business world looks to turn sporting memes into gold

The internet meme that has charmed audiences since it went viral after the performances of a Chinese Olympic swimmer has now began to attract the attention of the business community.

Last week, Wang Qingyu, the host at a radio and television station in Baoding, Hebei province, and deputy chief of the city's musicians association, filed a trademark application for the phrase "prehistoric power" in Chinese characters.

The phrase became widely popular after it was used in an interview with China Central Television by Chinese swimmer Fu Yuanhui after she qualified for the women's 100m backstroke final on Aug 8. "I have used all my prehistoric powers to swim," she said, alluding to the fact that she had given every effort in the race.

Many companies, such as 361 Degrees, Anta Sports, Mengniu Dairy and internet dating website Shiji Jiayuan, have also used the striking phrase in their advertising campaigns.

"Such an expression is so cute and Fu's lively personality is another kind of beauty that we have seen in the (Olympic) competition," Wang told Yanzhao Evening News. The newspaper's report said Wang came up with the idea of registering the phrase as a trademark when he created a rap song with the same name.

His applications cover four categories, involving such specific products and areas as functional drinks, canned fruit, gym equipment and music and entertainment programs.

Wang was not the first person to become interested in the phrase, which was originally coined by The Journey of Flower, a popular Chinese TV drama that debuted in June last year. However, the phrase only came to prominence after Fu uttered it at the Olympics.

Since last October, 14 results of similar trademark applications, with the same name, but in different categories, have been filed, according to the trademark office of the State Administration for Industry and Commerce.

Some of them are currently undergoing preliminary public review, and, if they are approved, Chinese consumers might one day find themselves drinking a bottle of tea emblazoned with the brand "prehistoric power" in Chinese.

China has been continuously improving its intellectual property protection and, as a result, national awareness of the importance of trademarks is also rising.

Since 2002, China has been ranked first worldwide for the number of annual trademark applications. By the end of June, more than 20 million trademarks applications had been filed.

In addition, the phenomenon of registering the names or images of celebrities, especially Olympic champions, has grown rapidly, and it has sometimes landed applicants in trouble.

For example, shortly after the London Olympic Games in 2012, the trademark office of SAIC received an objection from Usain Bolt's legal team against a Liaoning province-based company that had used the superstar athlete's image as its trademark without authorization.

The trademark included a graphic based on Bolt's image and used his iconic celebration gesture of stretching his arms outwards in the imitation of a bolt of lightening. It was officially declared invalid in 2014.

(China Daily 08/17/2016 page17)