March 21, 2000
#00-18

1999 TRADEMARK STATISTICS ANNOUNCED

1999 TRADEMARK STATISTICS ANNOUNCED

PRESS RELEASE

In fiscal year 1999, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) issued 87,774 trademark registrations. U.S. domestic entities received 87% of all U.S. trademark registrations issued in fiscal year 1999 (FY 1999). Thirteen percent of FY 1999 U.S. trademark registrations were issued to entities of other countries. Of these non-domestic entities, Canada (2,052), Germany (1,393) and Japan (1,034) received the highest number of trademark registrations.

"Trademarks are the fingerprints of commerce. In this era of innovative commercial creativity, registered trademarks will become one of the most important assets of companies and individuals who want to compete in the global marketplace," observed Anne Chasser, Assistant Commissioner for Trademarks.

Of U.S. domestic registrants, Mattel, Inc. filed 5,501 trademark applications and received 3,445 trademark registrations, which were the highest number of trademarks filed and issued to a single entity in FY 1999. Of those applications, Mattel, Inc. filed 476 of them using the online trademark filing system, e-TEAS, available at the PTO web site (http://www.uspto.gov) , making Mattel, Inc. also the top filer of electronic applications.

With Mattel, Inc. leading the list, the top ten recipients of trademark registrations in FY 1999 were:

Mattel, Inc. 3,445

Avon Products, Inc. 1,180

Johnson & Johnson 1,486

General Mills, Inc. 1,298

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company 1,270

Ralston Purina Company 1,218

American Greetings Corporation 1,196

American Home Products Corporation 1,108

E.I. Du Pont De Nemours and Company 1,084

Clairol Incorporated 1,072

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