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Bess Morgan, deputy chair of Loeb & Loeb’s Brand Protection practice, is quoted in a Law360 article examining Taylor Swift’s trademark filings seeking protection for her voice and likeness amid the rise of artificial intelligence‑generated content.
In the article, Bess explained how voice trademarks function as a targeted brand‑protection tool, designed to safeguard specific, recognizable expressions rather than a person’s full range of vocal qualities.
“You’re not protecting the actual voice in such a way that any articulation of words in that tone or pitch of voice can be protected,” Bess said. “It’s a discrete phrasing of words said in a certain way, such that when a consumer hears it, they know, ‘Oh, this is X person’s voice, and thus it must be X person’s goods and services.’”
Bess noted that while voice trademarks are inherently narrow in scope, they can still play a constructive role as part of a broader intellectual property strategy for artists responding to evolving uses of AI. She also observed that these filings may highlight the need for more comprehensive, nationwide protections—such as a federal right of publicity—to address unauthorized use of voices and likenesses in the digital age.
To read the full article, please see Law360’s website (subscription may be required).
In the article, Bess explained how voice trademarks function as a targeted brand‑protection tool, designed to safeguard specific, recognizable expressions rather than a person’s full range of vocal qualities.
“You’re not protecting the actual voice in such a way that any articulation of words in that tone or pitch of voice can be protected,” Bess said. “It’s a discrete phrasing of words said in a certain way, such that when a consumer hears it, they know, ‘Oh, this is X person’s voice, and thus it must be X person’s goods and services.’”
Bess noted that while voice trademarks are inherently narrow in scope, they can still play a constructive role as part of a broader intellectual property strategy for artists responding to evolving uses of AI. She also observed that these filings may highlight the need for more comprehensive, nationwide protections—such as a federal right of publicity—to address unauthorized use of voices and likenesses in the digital age.
To read the full article, please see Law360’s website (subscription may be required).
