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Formula One Trademarks "Shoey"
According to a report by the Independent, the owners of Formula One filed trademarks last August for the word “shoey,” the popular celebration of drinking champagne from a shoe. Australian F1 star Daniel Ricciardo made it popular in the sport, but we’ve also seen Australian MotoGP rider Jack Miller do it when he won at Assen and Chad Reed do it after winning the AUS-X Open.
The Independent found that according to World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the trademark registration to the word has been registered in 25 countries, including the United States, Germany, Italy, France, the United Kingdom, Australia, and more.
The registration covers flasks, glasses, bottles, mugs, sculptures, and figurines.
F1 also applied for the trademark on clothing, but that was later cancelled due to an earlier registration for the word by Australian Korinne Harrington, a relative of the duo who coined the phrase. From the report:
The Shoey has been a popular celebration in Australia for around 15 years thanks to surfing and fishing brand, The Mad Hueys. Dean and Shaun Harrington, known as the face of this brand, have been quoted saying they drunk Shoeys as early as 2002. As The Mad Hueys accelerated in popularity more personalities got in on the act with Ricciardo being one of the latest.
While F1 won’t be able to stop rival sports from celebrating this way, it could put the brakes on selling items, such as glasses, bottles, and more.