Mark Zuckerberg could have to purchase the Meta trademark for $20m after computer retailers claim they beat Facebook founder to the punch.
Arizona-based Meta PC filed an August 23rd trademark application for Meta’s computers, tablets, software, and other tech-related items. It is not far from Silicon Valley’s market sphere.
Zack Shutt (founder) and Joe Darger (founder) told TMZ that they are open to letting go of the brand name if Zuckerberg will pay $20 million.
The company’s techies have been running it for just over a month and claim that they have invested a lot of personal funds in marketing and branding for Meta.
Zack Shutt (left), Joe Darger (right), said that they are willing to give up on the brand name if Zuckerberg agrees $20 million.
Their trademark has not yet received approval, but they believe they are ahead of Zuckerberg, who announced the rebranding Facebook to Meta last week.
Computer retailers state that giving up their brand name will require expensive marketing efforts to rebrand.
“We’ve financed this company ourselves with our own personal resources. Shutt stated that when Facebook chose the same name, it was obvious that there was concern that we would lose any organic reach we had worked so hard for. Shutt added that they have made’sizable investments in marketing’.
Shutt & Darger shared a name, which may not be bad. Shutt & Darger revealed that they have seen a 5,000% boost in their social media accounts since the Zuckerberg announcement.
TMZ was told by a Meta (Facebook), source that the firm believes it is entitled to adopt the trademark.
Mark P McKenna, an attorney professor at the University of California, stated that there may be loopholes that could allow Facebook to acquire the name.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg speaks live during an augmented and virtual reality conference. This was to announce the rebranding, which took place last week.
One legal tool is to file an application in another nation and use that date to file in America.
According to him, they search for a small country without a searchable database and then file there. They could then have a later date.
He said that trademark registration didn’t define rights for a company in the US.
‘In the US, rights aren’t created by trademark registration – the rights arise out of use,’ he said.