The Cost of Being a Creator®️

Jools Lebron fights to trademark ‘demure’

Good morning. The latest topic of conversation for tech creators? ChatGPT can’t correctly answer how many Rs are in the word “strawberry.” A little ironic, given that OpenAI announced a new math computation model called Strawberry this week. We’ll take this as a sign that AI can’t totally replace us (yet).

P.S. We’re off Monday for Labor Day. See ya back here on Wednesday. ✌️

Creators Seek Trademark Ownership

Jools Lebron struggles to apply a trademark to her viral catchphrase after others already submitted applications for it / Jools Lebron

Jools Lebron, the creator behind the latest viral megatrend, shared earlier this week that she’s in a battle to trademark her “very demure…very mindful” catchphrase. After sharing that others have already submitted applications to trademark the signature saying, Lebron sparked a larger conversation about creators and their IP.

We spoke with lifestyle creator Bunny Hedaya, who owns five trademarks herself and shared advice with Lebron on TikTok, to learn more →

Why get a trademark? “It gives a lot of protection. It lets you legally own a name and gives a lot of authority in the government’s eyes to who you are as a person,” Hedaya told us. “It shows that [you’re] a brand and not just some silly thing on social media.”

But trademarks have been a moving target for many creators trying to establish their brands: 

  • Jesse Sebastiani’s Sunday brand famously made merch that says “f*ck a trademark” after his failed attempt to trademark the word “Sunday.” 

  • Haliey Welch, known for her “hawk tuah” catchphrase, has been on a trademark spree, applying for phrases like “Bet on That Thang” and “Hawk Sauce.” 

Worth noting: Hedaya recommends creators trademark their names before going for phrases. 

  • “What I think is most important is that creators trademark their personal name because it gives you a lot more protection over your own name and persona,” Hedaya said. 

  • For instance, Hedaya said, if a brand uses your name or uploads content you don’t approve, you can take legal action.

FYI: It typically costs $250–$350 to file a trademark application, depending on the classification. And some trademarks can take up to three years to get approved.

So what are Lebron’s chances? Several lawyers have suggested she has a high likelihood of winning the trademark. Lebron said this week that the trademark issue is “handled,” with help from a team.

Creators React to Meta Shuttering AR Platform Spark

AR creators Jake Berg (left) and Sergei Galkin (right) speak out on Meta’s decision to shut down its AR developer platform, Spark / Jake Berg, Sergei Galkin

This week, Meta announced it’s closing its third-party AR developer platform, Spark, and removing all creator-made effects across Meta’s platforms, leaving many creators upset at the loss.

“For me the saddest part is that all the hard work and things that were made are just going to be erased completely,” AR creator Jake Berg told us.

Catch up quick: 

  • Since Spark’s launch in 2017, creators have sold their Spark-made filters to brands for use on Instagram accounts.

  • Berg said he earned half of his income from selling Spark-made filters as a creator with early access to the platform.

Within the last year, though, Meta appeared to be deprioritizing Spark. “After I noticed Spark was not being taken care of that much, I started teaching myself how to make filters for Snapchat and TikTok,” Berg said. 

“This is a reminder that as much security as you think you have, you never know what’s going to happen. So diversify as much as you can,” Berg said.

Other AR creators, like Sergei Galkin, see Meta’s move as a silver lining, using the opportunity to focus on AR projects for wearables like the Quest Pro (which Meta has invested more in lately). “I believe it’s not the end for AR effects in Meta, I just think we’re in the beginning of something new,” Galkin told us.

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A Verge Producer Goes Indie

Becca Farsace leaves The Verge / Becca Farsace

Video producer Becca Farsace announced she’s leaving The Verge to go full-time as a solo creator.

Context: Farsace has spent the last seven years at The Verge making tech videos and profiling creators like iJustine and Unnecessary Inventions. Three years ago, she started her own tech-focused YouTube channel.

Why make the leap? “No matter how long I was at [The Verge], I was never going to get the big written reviews because I don’t write, so when big products came out I knew there was always going to be someone else in front of me,” Farsace said in the video.

🔥 Press Worthy

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The content we’re looking forward to reading, watching, and listening to this weekend.

  • Read: For Rest of World, journalist Vincent Owino explores the lives of TikTok preachers in Kenya.

  • Watch: Ever felt like you have more information than you know what to do with? Creator Ali Gallop shares how he learned to start living in the information age. 

  • Listen: Love Is Blind, but make it a podcast. On Hang Up, six suitors aim to win the affection of one caller through a series of phone dates and elimination rounds.