Did you know that the simple, bold yellow of a Wiffle Ball bat is more than just a design choice—it’s been legally protected as a trademark? According to The Mary Sue, Wiffle Ball, Inc. successfully registered the color yellow for use specifically on their plastic bats. The Mary Sue
In 1995, the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Qualitex Co. v. Jacobson Products Co. set a precedent: colors can be trademarked if they’ve developed what’s called “secondary meaning”—that is, consumers come to associate that specific color with a particular brand. The Mary Sue For Wiffle Ball, that meant proving that yellow plastic bats were immediately and uniquely identified with them in the marketplace. The Mary Sue
The trademark was granted in 2008. Wiffle Ball, Inc., through their legal team (SSJR), provided evidence including news stories, books, and even television clips showing yellow bats associated with its brand. These helped the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office recognize that this shade of yellow—when applied to plastic bats—distinguished Wiffle Ball from competitors. The Mary Sue
Interesting historical note: the company started with wooden bats in 1954 and introduced their yellow plastic bats in 1959, while continuing wooden-bat production until 1972. The Mary Sue Also, there are stories of collectors paying premium prices for rare or counterfeit wooden Wiffle bats—underscoring how strongly brand and color tie into consumer value. The Mary Sue
If you want, I can turn that into a social media post or pull quote version too.
Read the full original article here: How Did Wiffle Ball Trademark the Color Yellow? — The Mary Sue. The Mary Sue
