The UK trade mark register has just turned 150, and to mark the occasion the UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) recently announced the winners of its public vote to find the most iconic British trade marks.
The ten most iconic trade marks, as selected by the public, are:
- Rolls-Royce
- Radio Caroline
- Twinings
- Cadbury
- Bass
- Burberry
- Transport for London (TfL) roundel
- Calpol
- Mini
- BBC
Rolls-Royce takes the top spot, demonstrating the enduring popularity of a brand which is synonymous with quality, workmanship and luxury. Household brand names such as Burberry, Mini, Cadbury, Twinings, TfL, Calpol and the BBC are worthy inclusions on the list, as is the Bass Red Triangle logo, the inaugural mark on the register from 1876, which remains registered today under UK Trade Mark Registration Number UK00000000001.
Radio Caroline is a particularly interesting inclusion, at number two. The former “pirate” radio station, famed for broadcasting from the North Sea in the 1960s, has remained on the airwaves for over sixty years. A redoubtable part of the UK’s music history, it was registered as a trade mark in 1992.
The poll coincides with a remarkable legal milestone. The UK trade mark system first opened for new applications on 1 January 1876, when Bass & Co applied that very same day to register its red triangle, securing its place in history as the first. Today the register protects more than 2.5 million trade marks, and over 400 registrations dating back to the Victorian era (pre-1900) remain in force; a testament to the enduring value of strong brand protection. Iconic brands are not built on creativity and marketing alone, but are underpinned by robust legal rights that protect reputation, trust and commercial value, consistently enforced over time.
As the register enters its next 150 years the system continues to evolve. Brand owners can protect new types of marks such as holograms and multimedia marks, in new product categories such as virtual goods and digital services. What has not changed is the basic principle of securing and enforcing trade mark rights, as a cornerstone of long‑term business success.
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