Ohio State is Denied Trademark for "THE"

The Ohio State University's recent application to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to trademark "THE" has been denied, multiple news outlets are reporting this morning. The Columbus Dispatch reports that the trademark office said, "the applied-for mark appears to be used in a merely decorative manner that would be perceived by consumers as having little or no particular source-identifying significance." From Inside Higher Education: "Marc Jacobs, the designer fashion line, had also already attempted to trademark "the" for its handbags, and was likewise rejected on Aug. 28, cleveland.com reported."