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Meghan Markle is attempting to trademark the word ‘archetypes’ after revealing that it would be the name of her first series of podcasts with Spotify.
Archewell Audio – one of the companies established by Meghan and Harry after they quit the royal family – made the application for exclusive use of the historic word at the US Patent and Trademark Office last month.
Archetypes derives from ancient Greek and first entered into the English language in the 1540s.
The application says the trademarked word would cover a long list of entertainment services ‘in the fields of cultural treatment of women and stereotypes facing women’.
This includes podcasts, TV shows, DVDs, CDs, and streaming services.
The move would mean the couple owns the trademark rather than Spotify, which paid the couple a rumoured £18m deal in 2020.
Trademarking words associated with a brand is common practice. A registered trade mark safeguards your brand, giving you the rights to take legal action if someone uses it without permission,
Things that can be trademarked include a phrase, word, symbol or colour.
Examples of brands that have trademarked their name include Apple, McDonald’s, and Google
It comes after Meghan announced she would be launching her first podcast series investigating the stereotypes that ‘try to hold women back’.
Archetypes will launch this summer, hosted by Meghan who will speak to historians, experts and women who have experienced being typecast.
In a trailer of the Archewell Audio project released last month, audio clips of derogatory comments are played to the backdrop of dramatic music.
A voice over from Meghan says: ‘This is how we talk about women: the words that raise our girls, and how the media reflects women back to us… but where do these stereotypes come from?
‘And how do they keep showing up and defining our lives?’
Meghan and Harry signed a lucrative deal with the audio streaming giant to host and produce podcasts in late 2020 after stepping down as working members of the royal family.
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But questions were raised about the partnership after they released one show only in the year since – a holiday special featuring their son Archie and celebrity guests.
The launch of Archetypes comes after the couple became embroiled in a misinformation row with the streaming giant.
Several artists previously ditched the platform due to controversial content such as The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, which has been known to air vaccine-sceptical views.
Representatives for Harry and Meghan say the couple have been working directly with the company to promote a safer, well-sourced audio landscape with more reliable and accurate information.
Spotify and Archewell Audio said in a joint statement: ‘Spotify and Archewell Audio both value responsible stewardship of the audio landscape, and as explained recently, are committed to working closely to support transparency and strong principles of trust and safety.’
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