Blue Ivy business gets her trademark request approved while Beyonce’s baby Blue Ivy waits
Boston event planner Veronica Alexandra can’t help but shake her head at some of the national news about her trademark application. She’s heard reports that she’s successfully sued Beyoncé and Jay-Z, which just isn’t true. And no one ruled against the celebrity couple and in her favor. Alexandra explained to us on Tuesday that people just don’t understand the trademark process. “I had to trademark,” Alexandra said of her event business Blue Ivy, which she opened in 2009. The trademark drama started in January when Beyoncé and Jay-Z named their baby girl Blue Ivy. At the time, Blue Ivy business owner Alexandra was thrilled (her website even has a picture of them, calling the couple “our SOUL MATE.” She joked to us that she’d love to plan the child’s first birthday party. But shortly after Beyoncé’s daughter was born and a fashion designer attempted to trademark the Blue Ivy name, the celebrity parents filed to protect it for themselves. That’s when Alexandra realized that she’d also have to trademark the name to protect her business. She said she wouldn’t have sought out the trademark otherwise. Last week, Alexandra was told that the US Patent and Trademark Office had approved her trademark application for two classes, or types of services. “With my classes, I get to maintain my business. But that doesn’t mean that my business gets to evolve and evolve and evolve.” Alexandra expects that Bey and Jay will eventually get trademark approval for other categories, and, as of Tuesday, there were updates to the couple’s application, which is still pending. Alexandra says that means she’ll have to get more creative about how to expand her Blue Ivy brand.
About this blog
Mark Shanahan joined The Boston Globe in
2003, having worked previously at the Portland Press Herald, where he
covered City Hall, and the Lewiston Sun-Journal, where he was the
education reporter. A Northampton native and graduate of Bates College,
Shanahan enjoys the usual - books, music, movies, etc. - as well as the
unusual. shanahan@globe.com
Follow on Twitter: @GlobeNames, @MarkAShanahan
Meredith Goldstein has worked for the Globe since 2003, covering
everything from nightlife to New Kids. She keeps her eyes peeled for
celebrity juice, and also writes Love Letters, a Boston.com blog for
hopeful (and hopeless) romantics. Meredith chats about love problems
every Wednesday at 1 p.m. If you see Justin Timberlake or someone like
him at a local eatery, please e-mail her immediately. mgoldstein@globe.com
Follow on Twitter: @GlobeNames, @MeredithGoldste
- Doug Most is the Deputy Managing Editor/Features. dmost@globe.com
- Hayley Kaufman is the senior Living/Page One features editor. hkaufman@globe.com
- Additional contributors include the Boston.com sports and A&E staff






