Taylor Swift’s latest trademark move offers a masterclass in proactive intellectual property strategy. On August 11, 2025, her company TAS Rights Management LLC filed trademark applications for “TLOAS” just hours before announcing her upcoming album “The Life of a Showgirl.” This calculated approach demonstrates exactly how smart businesses protect their brands before competitors can capitalize on their success.
As someone who has filed over 6,000 trademark applications, I’ve seen countless businesses learn this lesson the hard way. Swift’s team got it right by securing protection before their announcement went public.
The Art of Strategic Timing
The applications were timestamped at approximately 6:20 p.m. on August 11, but didn’t appear in the USPTO’s online database until after midnight on August 12. This “quiet filing” strategy represents sophisticated trademark planning that I recommend to clients launching major products or campaigns.
Here’s why this timing matters. By filing before the announcement but timing the public record appearance until after the reveal, Swift’s team eliminated the risk that another party could file first for the same or confusingly similar mark. Trademark squatters and unauthorized merchandisers often monitor celebrity announcements to rush competing applications to the USPTO.
This six-hour gap wasn’t accidental. It was a calculated move that allowed Swift to control her narrative while securing legal protection. Smart businesses can apply this same principle when launching new products, services, or campaigns by filing trademark applications before public announcements.
What TLOAS Actually Protects
The trademark filing covers an extensive range of products including music recordings, instruments, jewelry, candles, apparel, phone accessories, and much more. The scope includes some unexpected items like incense burners, wireless speakers, inflatable toys, puzzle board games, paint brushes, shoelaces, Christmas tree skirts, and bean bags.
This isn’t about planning to manufacture every single item. It’s about maintaining control over how your brand appears in the marketplace. When I work with clients on filing strategy, I explain that broader protection prevents others from capitalizing on your success in adjacent product categories.
In Swift’s model, trademark protection is not the byproduct of cultural dominance; it is part of the machine that drives it. The music industry today relies heavily on merchandise sales, brand partnerships, and live performance revenue. All of these require controlling your brand across multiple product categories.
Swift’s approach ensures that fan spending flows through authorized channels rather than enriching unauthorized sellers on platforms like Etsy or Amazon. This protection becomes especially valuable when dealing with counterfeit goods or knockoff merchandise.
Business Lessons From a Pop Star’s Playbook
Swift’s trademark portfolio ranks among the most expansive in the entertainment sector: more than 350 filings and registrations covering album titles, tour names, fan club identifiers, and even the names of her cats. This level of protection might seem excessive, but it reflects a clear understanding of how modern brands operate.
Your business doesn’t need 350 trademark applications, but it does need strategic thinking about brand protection. I regularly advise clients to consider not just their current products, but logical extensions of their brand that competitors might target.
Swift’s success comes from treating her career as an intellectual property operation from the beginning. By 14, she had secured her first publishing deal; by 16, she had released her debut album; and at 17, she moved to federally register her name as a trademark. This early foundation enabled everything that followed.
For businesses, the lesson is clear: trademark protection should be part of your launch strategy, not an afterthought. Filing applications before you need them costs far less than fighting infringement battles later.
Building Your Own Protection Strategy
Swift’s TLOAS filing demonstrates how serious businesses approach brand protection. The timing, scope, and strategic thinking behind this application offer a template for any company looking to protect their intellectual property investments.
I’ve helped thousands of businesses secure similar protection for their brands. The process starts with understanding what makes your business unique and valuable to customers. Then we build a filing strategy that protects those assets before competitors can exploit them.
Don’t wait until you’re facing infringement to take action. The businesses that succeed long-term are the ones that think like Taylor Swift’s team: proactively, strategically, and with an eye toward controlling their own destiny in the marketplace.
Contact my office today to discuss how we can protect your brand with the same level of strategic thinking that protects the world’s biggest entertainers. Your business deserves professional trademark protection, and I’m here to make that happen.
