“You’re doing amazing, Sweetie!” Until you Aren’t.
You’ve heard it a million times—“You’re doing amazing, sweetie”—Kris Jenner’s iconic catchphrase that’s become synonymous with the Kardashian empire. Despite her undeniable influence in entertainment, Kris Jenner couldn't get her slogan registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The "Momager" herself was denied the right to trademark her renowned line.
In 2020, Kris Jenner filed not one, but five applications to trademark her signature phrase. She hoped to secure it for a wide variety of products and services, but unfortunately, the USPTO wasn’t having it. They rejected her requests—one after the other. The reason? The phrase is “too generic” and simply “conveys an informational message of encouragement.” But here's the twist: is this iconic phrase really not trademark-worthy?
When it comes to trademarking a phrase, the USPTO has strict rules. For a slogan to be eligible, it must be distinct enough to identify the source of goods or services. The issue with Kris Jenner’s phrase, according to the USPTO, is that it’s widely used as a general statement of encouragement, not a distinct brand marker. While everyone in the 21st century knows it’s tied to Kris Jenner, her lawyers didn’t provide enough evidence to prove it’s an exclusive association.
So what went wrong? It’s possible her team missed a golden opportunity. A simple screenshot of a Google search for “You’re Doing Amazing, Sweetie” would’ve shown thousands of TikToks, tweets, and articles—all of which clearly associate the phrase with Kris Jenner herself. Unfortunately, the lack of such evidence caused her application to fall flat.
Is this a cautionary tale for other influencers or business owners trying to trademark a catchphrase? You bet it is. The rules are tight, and even the Momager can’t bypass them.
