Rush to buy ’One Minute’patents
Güncelleme Tarihi:
by Merve Erdil - Hurriyet
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Mart 26, 2009 00:00
ANKARA - The two words uttered by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan against David Ignatius at a panel during the World Economic Forum have become so popular that entrepreneurs line up in front of the Patent Institute to use them in their products. The ’One Minute’brand currently has a dozen owners, including a retailer and a food firm
One minute! These two words uttered Jan. 29 by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan against David Ignatius, who was moderating a panel on the Middle East in Davos, Switzerland became so famous that Turkish companies are rushing to buy their patents.
Abdullah Unakıtan, a young businessman and the son of Finance Minister Kemal Unakıtan, was the first who applied to the Turkish Patent Institute, or TPE, to register "One Minute" as a brand. But due to political controversy, the young Unakıtan withdrew his Feb. 5 application, by request from his father. Abdullah Unakıtan delegated his application to Mehmet Elmas, Hürriyet learned.
The "One Minute" brand currently has a dozen owners, including BİM Mağazaları, a retail chain, Star Ak, Akspor and Sahim Gıda, a food company.
One Minute is a clever brand as its advertisement has been made for free, said Kutay Kumbasar, the brands department chief at the TPE.
Distribution
The institute can distribute nearly 900 "One Minute" brands, which are distributed according to various groups and sectors, Kumbasar said. "Say, a jacket can have the brand ’One Minute,’ while a white good can also have it," he said. "What is important is that two products in the same group do not have the same brand."
The TPE receives 300 brand applications per day, Kumbasar said. "Applications for ’One Minute’ are increasing. As the words appear on televisions and newspapers, we get more applications."
The number of brand applications has decreased after the global crisis, he said. In the first phase, the applicant has to pay 115 Turkish Liras and if the brand is registered, 460 liras afterwards, Kumbasar said.
The "One Minute" brand is classified in the TPE system as "Code 99," which means brands that have not been classified yet.
Kumbasar also said another brand is growing in popularity. "Barack Obama is extremely popular," he said, adding that 13 individuals have secured registry for the "Obama" brand. The most interesting one among these is the "Baraklava Obama" brand, registered by food company Dedeoğlu Gıda, for one type of its baklavas, a sweet pastry. Güven Demir, another citizen, registered the "Barack Obama Savaşma Seviş" brand, which can be translated as "Barack Obama, Make Love, Not War."
Abdullah Unakıtan, a young businessman and the son of Finance Minister Kemal Unakıtan, was the first who applied to the Turkish Patent Institute, or TPE, to register "One Minute" as a brand. But due to political controversy, the young Unakıtan withdrew his Feb. 5 application, by request from his father. Abdullah Unakıtan delegated his application to Mehmet Elmas, Hürriyet learned.
The "One Minute" brand currently has a dozen owners, including BİM Mağazaları, a retail chain, Star Ak, Akspor and Sahim Gıda, a food company.
One Minute is a clever brand as its advertisement has been made for free, said Kutay Kumbasar, the brands department chief at the TPE.
Distribution
The institute can distribute nearly 900 "One Minute" brands, which are distributed according to various groups and sectors, Kumbasar said. "Say, a jacket can have the brand ’One Minute,’ while a white good can also have it," he said. "What is important is that two products in the same group do not have the same brand."
The TPE receives 300 brand applications per day, Kumbasar said. "Applications for ’One Minute’ are increasing. As the words appear on televisions and newspapers, we get more applications."
The number of brand applications has decreased after the global crisis, he said. In the first phase, the applicant has to pay 115 Turkish Liras and if the brand is registered, 460 liras afterwards, Kumbasar said.
The "One Minute" brand is classified in the TPE system as "Code 99," which means brands that have not been classified yet.
Kumbasar also said another brand is growing in popularity. "Barack Obama is extremely popular," he said, adding that 13 individuals have secured registry for the "Obama" brand. The most interesting one among these is the "Baraklava Obama" brand, registered by food company Dedeoğlu Gıda, for one type of its baklavas, a sweet pastry. Güven Demir, another citizen, registered the "Barack Obama Savaşma Seviş" brand, which can be translated as "Barack Obama, Make Love, Not War."