Lately I've been watching Twitter's brand management, and I'm curious as to whether Twitter has any significant trademark/brand issues brewing.  They have a trademark application pending (or two?), but it seems like they've been fairly laid back about their brand management. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let’s put it this way: Twitter’s business model appears to be roughly analogous to that of Microsoft’s model for Windows or Apple’s for the iPod in that it seeks to be a coral reef, on top of which others will build compatible products.  I’ll note in passing that neither MS nor Apple allowed third parties to own trademarks that incorporate the WINDOWS or iPOD mark (or variations thereof).

To the extent that Twitter will in the future wish to have third parties promote in public that they have some sort of partnership arrangement with Twitter, Twitter will likely need to use some sort of badge equivalent to the “MS Certified Partner” program insignia, or “Made for iPod” insignia.   However these partners will be competing with entities such as TWEETDECK or TWITTERIFIC, whom will have years of acquiescence on their side.

Last year, Leo Laporte became a Twitter quitter.

The host of one of Silicon Valley’s most popular podcasts was none too excited that of all the names in the world, the burgeoning message service had picked one that hit piercingly close to home. The online broadcasting network that Laporte owns and runs out of his house in Petaluma is called TWiT.tv, after his company’s flagship show, “This Week in Tech.”

The rise of Twitter has long been a favorite topic of conversation on TWiT, and with an audience of around 150,000, Laporte found himself in a strange pickle: The more he talked about Twitter on his show, the more followers he accrued — and the more publicity he gave his brand rival.

“I thought, jeez, I’m building value in this company that is ultimately vying for my trademark,” he said recently via phone. “So I left.”

Looks he didn't quite quit, but . . . .