Cool, Calm, and Collecting Trademarks: A Look into Cole Palmer’s New IP Portfolio

An exciting Premier League talent known for his ice-cool calmness in front of goal, Cole Palmer, who is quickly becoming a household name, has recently ventured into the world of intellectual property (IP). At the young age of 22, Cole Palmer, with the help of his commercial representatives, has made a wise decision to apply to register seven trademarks with the UK Intellectual Property Office through his company, Palmer Management Limited. This move will help Palmer lay the foundations for long-term commercial success as his personal brand grows beyond the confines of his fleeting football career, similar to the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and David Beckham, elite athletes who have built extremely lucrative IP portfolios.

Palmer’s Portfolio

Palmer Management Limited, on 25 November 2024, filed for two word marks, “COLE PALMER” and “COLD PALMER”, two figurative marks, one of his autograph, and one of his face and likeness, and one unusual motion mark, of his “shivering” celebration. These marks were filed under an extensive range of goods and services, from birthday cards and bath salts to mopeds and mouse mats. Now successfully registered, these trademarks will give Palmer exclusive control over the commercial use of his name, nickname, and signature “shivering” celebration, meaning any third party would require his permission to use them for profit. On 6 November 2025, the company filed two additional applications, which are currently under review: a word mark “COLE” and a figurative mark for “CP”, which could be Cole Palmer’s new brand logo.

A Closer Look

Among the above marks, the most distinctive is the motion mark. Its registration grants Palmer Management Limited exclusive rights to the “shivering” celebration, allowing the company to grant a license for a fee if others wanted to use the celebration for commercial purposes, such as on branded merchandise, television advertisements, and video games. Thankfully, it will not prevent you or me from breaking out the celebration after scoring from a bicycle kick during our Sunday League 5-a-side tournaments. Although Chelsea Football Club has regularly featured Cole’s likeness, celebrations, and nickname on their social media pages and marketing campaigns, there is likely to have been commercial negotiations between the club and the player’s representatives to do so.

Some critics have argued that Cole Palmer should not claim a monopoly over the “shivering” celebration, as it was first used by his former teammate, Morgan Rogers, and even in the NBA by Trae Young. However, unlike copyright, trademark ownership does not require the applicant to be the originator or creator of the idea.

Palmer’s successful application to register a figurative mark of his face and likeness is also interesting, given the backdrop of the rise in deepfakes generated by artificial intelligence. Although the registration is not a comprehensive “image right”, where a deepfake of Palmer looks like an advertisement or a false endorsement and is being used commercially, the registered mark would give him and his representatives a clear legal route to demand removal and to obtain an injunction faster than relying on unregistered IP rights alone.

Although all of Palmer’s initial applications have now been successfully registered, the registration process has not been entirely straightforward.

Initial Opposition and Further Concerns

Due to the vast scope of goods and services covered under the trademark applications, they attracted scrutiny over potential marketplace confusion. The word mark “COLD PALMER” faced initial opposition from renowned French winery, Chateau Palmer, a prestigious Bordeaux estate whose older vintages can fetch more than £1,500 on the resale market. The winery argued that products sold under the mark “COLD PALMER”, especially alcoholic beverages, could be mistaken for those associated with its established brand. In a bid to resolve the issue and secure the trademark registration, Palmer’s representatives have since amended the application to exclude “wine” from the mark’s scope.

Although all of Cole Palmer’s initial applications are now successfully registered, he might not be out of the woods just yet. In general, a trademark owner has a five-year grace period to begin using the mark before it can be declared invalid for non-use. This grace period allows a business the possibility to expand its use of the trademark into new areas, as long as there is a genuine intention to use it.

With the Supreme Court judgment in Sky v Skykick [2024], it was established that Sky’s trademark registrations were sought partly in bad faith and should be partially invalidated. This was because Sky’s application was overly broad, including services and goods it had no intention to use, which left the system open to abuse. The decision means that, while the five-year period still exists, trademark owners should be aware that overly broad specifications, such as “bleaching preparations” for a telecommunications company, could be challenged and potentially deemed an act of bad faith.

While Palmer and his representatives are prudent to apply for a broad range of trademark protection given the limitless possibilities for the Cole Palmer brand's reach over the coming years, they risk scrutiny if some filings appear commercially implausible. If, for instance, “COLD PALMER” bath salts never materialise, questions could arise about the legitimacy of such registrations. It is therefore essential for brand owners to document the commercial rationale for their trademark filings to avoid or mitigate the risk of future disputes.

Conclusion

With footballers now developing personal brands in an attempt to stand out in a crowded field, these trademark applications underscore the evolving relationship between the commercialisation of IP and professional sports. The media, in their usual hyperbole, may portray Cole Palmer's trademark registrations as an egotistical move. In reality, they appear to be a characteristically cool, calm, and calculated step to protect his brand as his career reaches new heights.

If you are wrestling with an IP conundrum of any kind, including brand protection issues, trade mark enforcement, or IP commercialisation, our team at KaurMaxwell Ltd is here to cut through the noise and provide clear, practical solutions tailored to your business. To learn more about how we can assist, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Shennind Awat-Ranai, Solicitor at KaurMaxwell