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Disney – South African trademarks

Updated 8 November 2026

Disney is the US entertainment company behind Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and National Geographic. Its trademarks cover films, television, streaming, merchandise and theme parks.

How Disney has built and protected its brands in South Africa – its trademark portfolio, where it expanded, how quickly its marks are registered, and who it competes with.

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#12largest trademark owner in South Africa (of 121,626)
2,092trademarks filed
4different logos published since 2020
28of 45 classes used
1947first trademark filed
68filed in the last 10 years

Disney trademarks in 45 seconds

Disney trademarks in 45 seconds

Watch the video on its own page, with transcript – https://snz.co.za/trademark-country-selection-direct/disney-south-african-trademarks/overview-video.html

A portfolio built over time

Disney filed its first South African trademark in 1947 and has filed 2,092 since; its busiest year was 2003, with 494 new filings. The chart shows its filings per year from 1970.

Trademarks by filing year, up to 2024; applications still pending are not included.

The names behind the portfolio

Over the years the group has filed under several names – earlier company names, holding companies and subsidiaries. We count them together.

NameMarksFiling years
Disney2,0281947–2024
Marvel Characters1561979–2022
Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment51980–2009

Where Disney expanded its business

Trademark classes show what a business sells. Disney's portfolio is concentrated in electronics & software (class 9), education & entertainment (class 41), paper & print (class 16). Its most recent moves were into restaurants & hotels (2022), finance & insurance (2003), hand tools (1998).

Disney trademarks: expansion into trademark classes, 1970–2024

Disney trademarks: expansion into trademark classes, 1970–2024

Watch the video on its own page, with transcript – https://snz.co.za/trademark-country-selection-direct/disney-south-african-trademarks/class-expansion-video.html

Each tile is a class; it lights up when the group first files in it and darkens with more filings; the dots show how many of its closest rivals also file in that class. The chart compares the number of classes used with its rivals. The video runs from 1970; classes entered earlier are lit from the start.

ClassMarksShareSince
9 Electronics & software22110.6%1965
41 Education & entertainment20910.0%1979
16 Paper & print1808.6%1979
28 Toys & sports goods1788.5%1967
25 Clothing1778.5%1947
14 Jewellery & watches1366.5%1979
3 Cosmetics & cleaning1316.3%1978
24 Textiles1266.0%1990

The brands Disney protects most

The word marks and logo names Disney has filed most often – the same brand filed in more classes, in more versions or again over the years.

#BrandTrademarksClassesFiled
1SIMPSONS (THE)69241990–1990
2WINNIE THE POOH20151998–2003
3DISNEY16141965–2006
4BAGHEERA14142012–2012
5BROTHER BEAR14142003–2003
6CARS14142004–2004
7CHRISTOPHER ROBIN14142012–2012
8DISNEY PIXAR14142008–2008
9DISNEY. PIXAR WALL.E14142006–2006
10HEFFALUMPS14142012–2012
11INCREDIBLES THE14142004–2004
12JAMES CAMERON'S AVATAR14142009–2012
13JUNGLE BOOK (THE)14142012–2012
14KAA14142012–2012
15KING LOUIE14142012–2012

Logos filed most often (since 2020)

Disney trademark logo
9 filings · 9 classes
Disney trademark logo
9 filings · 9 classes
Disney trademark logo
4 filings · 4 classes
Disney trademark logo
2 filings · 2 classes

Disney's logos

The 4 different logos Disney has had published since 2020 – each logo shown once, however many classes or versions it was filed in. Logos protected in more classes come first.

How quickly its trademarks are registered

Over the last five years, Disney's marks took a median of 3.3 years from filing to registration, slower than the market's 2.7 years. Most of that time is examination: 2.7 years from filing to acceptance (market: 1.9). Registration itself follows about half a year after acceptance.

Median years from filing to registration per registration year, split into examination (filing → acceptance) and acceptance → registration; the dashed line is the market median. A high recent value means older applications came through that year.

Who files the most in Disney's classes

Ranked by number of trademarks filed in Disney's main classes – any company that files there, whatever else it does (including retailers' own brands). This shows Disney's market position, not who is most like it.

In the last five years, Disney was #235 of 4,926 filers in class 9 (electronics & software), with 5 of 10,252 trademarks; #796 of 3,121 filers in class 41 (education & entertainment), with 2 of 6,243 trademarks; #77 of 1,191 filers in class 16 (paper & print), with 4 of 2,264 trademarks.

Disney's share of all trademarks filed in each of its main classes, per filing year.

Top trademark filers in class 9 (electronics & software), South Africa 1975–2024: Disney

Top trademark filers in class 9 (electronics & software), South Africa 1975–2024: Disney

Watch the video on its own page, with transcript – https://snz.co.za/trademark-country-selection-direct/disney-south-african-trademarks/class-9-race-video.html

Main competitors – the companies most like Disney

Ranked by how similar their whole trademark portfolio is to Disney's – the same mix of classes and the same words in their marks – not by size. Large filers in its classes that do something different rank lower here.

Disney's closest competitors in South Africa are Netflix.

Disney trademarks vs competitors: filings per year, 2010–2024

Disney trademarks vs competitors: filings per year, 2010–2024

Watch the video on its own page, with transcript – https://snz.co.za/trademark-country-selection-direct/disney-south-african-trademarks/competitors-video.html

Trademark filings per year: Disney (orange) and its five closest competitors.

#CompanyRelationshipSimilarity
1NetflixDirect competitor68%
2TFGRetailer's own brands82%
3Takealot OnlineRetailer's own brands65%
4ToyotaOther field78%
5Nelson Mandela Foundation TrustOther field73%
6BMWOther field72%
7European Professional Club RugbyOther field67%
8South African Rugby UnionOther field67%
9FIFAOther field66%
10Formula One LicensingOther field65%

Similarity of trademark activity since 2015 (classes and words used in marks). Retailers appear where their own brands compete on the shelf.

Disney – relevant export countries

Adjust the weightings

These weightings decide how the countries below are ranked. Change any value and the others adjust to keep the total at 100%.

Worldwide

#MarketScoreSA exportsImport growth / yrRouteCost, 5 classes
1United States of America82US$208 m-1%NationalUS$3,425
2European Union73US$48 m+1%NationalUS$2,388
3United Kingdom68US$19 m-4%NationalUS$1,371
4Hong Kong SAR61US$8.8 m+7%NationalUS$1,715
5Japan61US$129 k+2%NationalUS$1,774
6Namibia60US$154 m+8%ARIPOUS$450
7Canada59US$1.2 m-5%NationalUS$2,192
8Singapore59US$2.5 m+17%NationalUS$2,144
9Australia58US$4.4 m-3%NationalUS$2,380
10Botswana56US$140 m-7%ARIPOUS$450

Africa

#MarketScoreSA exportsImport growth / yrRouteCost, 5 classes
1Namibia60US$154 m+8%ARIPOUS$450 S&Z
2Botswana56US$140 m-7%ARIPOUS$450 S&Z
3Nigeria52US$2.9 m-14%NationalUS$1,015 S&Z
4Malawi52US$12 m+31%ARIPOUS$450 S&Z
5Zimbabwe51US$34 m+4%ARIPOUS$450 S&Z
6Mozambique50US$49 m-10%ARIPOUS$450 S&Z
7Tanzania50US$6.3 m-6%ARIPOUS$450 S&Z
8OAPI (17 states)50US$8.6 m+0%NationalUS$1,563 S&Z
9Uganda48US$3.7 m+9%ARIPOUS$450 S&Z
10Kenya43US$8.6 m-11%NationalUS$3,095

SA exports = South Africa's exports of these goods to the market in the last year. Ranked with the default weightings. Score 0–100 from South Africa's exports of the goods to the market, net imports, import growth, foreign trademark filings, where the goods are made, market size and the cost of protection. Costs are total fees (official and professional) to file in 5 classes; ARIPO costs are per country, plus US$301 once per ARIPO application; S&Z = S&Z's own all-in price. Goods are taken from the classes and specifications, so the ranking is indicative.

Trade data: CEPII BACI (version 202601, trade flows 2022–2024), Licence Etalab 2.0; aggregated and combined with other data by S&Z.

Protecting its top brands in Nigeria and OAPI with S&Z

BrandClassesNigeriaOAPI (17 states)
SIMPSONS (THE)24US$4,872US$5,072
WINNIE THE POOH15US$3,045US$3,410
DISNEY14US$2,842US$3,225
BAGHEERA14US$2,842US$3,225
BROTHER BEAR14US$2,842US$3,225

S&Z all-in prices per brand in its number of classes, filing to registration.

TM Country Selection  Rank the countries for your own goods and get the quotes.

Word marks you may have considered opposing

For Disney's five most-filed brands: word marks of other companies (not Disney's own group) that our similar word mark search, SimTM, found in the brand's own classes, and that we consider confusingly similar – from the earliest match found to today.

Similar to WINNIE THE POOH (classes 9, 16, 25, 28, 41; searched 2018-07-25 to 2026-11-07)

No confusingly similar marks of other companies found in this period.

Similar to DISNEY (classes 9, 16, 25, 28, 41; searched 2018-02-28 to 2026-11-07)

No confusingly similar marks of other companies found in this period.

Similar to BAGHEERA (classes 9, 16, 25, 28, 41; searched 2018-02-28 to 2026-11-07)

No confusingly similar marks of other companies found in this period.

Similar to BROTHER BEAR (classes 9, 16, 25, 28, 41; searched 2018-01-31 to 2026-11-07)

No confusingly similar marks of other companies found in this period.

Similar to SIMPSONS (THE) (classes 9, 16, 28, 41; searched 2018-02-28 to 2026-11-08)

No confusingly similar marks of other companies found in this period.

Similarity of the words only. Whether a mark could have been opposed depends on the goods and services, the reputation of the brand and the facts – S&Z can advise. New marks like these are what SimTM watch reports as they are published.

How S&Z can help you

S&Z does not just file trademarks. We are a technology-first firm that manages trademarks – analysing your data, monitoring competitors and making sure your trademark assets remain protected.

We manage your trademarks – not just file them

Analysing your data, monitoring competitors and making sure your trademark assets remain protected:

Renewal managementEvery renewal date in your portfolio tracked and paid online.
Competitor watchGet real-time competitor analysis.
Similar-mark watchNew word marks that come close to yours, found as they are published using SimTM.
Expansion into AfricaLowest-cost trademark expansion into Africa - Nigeria, OAPI.

Filing and renewal at fixed, all-inclusive prices

S&Z prices – South African trademarks

Filing, first class – incl. official fee, examination report, routine office action, acceptance, publication, registration and e-certificateUS$240
Each additional class of the same mark, filed at the same timeUS$225
Renewal online, per class (every 10 years from filing)R1,027
≈ US$62.29

Renewal in rand; US$ at R16.49 per US$.

Disney's next five years of renewals

386 of Disney's registered marks reach their ten-year renewal date in 2027–2031. Renewed online with S&Z, that costs about US$24,044 over the five years.

Let S&Z manage your trademarks Download this report (PDF)

Disney: frequently asked questions

What should Disney consider for its trademarks?
  • Possible gaps: its competitors also protect class 26 (haberdashery), class 45 (legal & security) – worth checking against what the business sells or plans to sell.
  • Fewer new brands: new brand names fell from 1.2 to 0.8 a year – worth reviewing whether planned launches are being protected early enough.
  • Renewals and use: keep track of the ten-year renewal dates and of marks that are no longer used – unused marks can be challenged after five years, and some may no longer be worth renewing.
Which of Disney's brands have been protected the longest?
Several of Disney's brands have been protected for generations and are still being filed today: MARVEL (first filed 1979, most recently 2019); BLACK PANTHER (first filed 1993, most recently 2019); DISNEY FROZEN (first filed 2016, most recently 2016); AVATAR (first filed 2018, most recently 2019); WAKANDA (first filed 2018, most recently 2022). Brands that are refiled over decades – in new classes, new logos or updated packaging – keep their protection current as the business changes.
How many new brands does Disney launch each year?
Counting only brand names it had never filed before, Disney filed about 0.8 new brand names a year over the last five complete years, fewer than the 1.2 a year in the five years before; its busiest year in the last decade was 2018, with 3. Its closest competitors averaged 5.6 new brand names a year over the same period (Netflix 4.6, TFG 8.8, Takealot Online 0.8, Toyota 11.2, Nelson Mandela Foundation Trust 2.8). New brand names are a good indicator of product launches and innovation.
How broadly does Disney protect each brand?
Disney has filed 177 different brand names. 15% of them are protected in a single class, while 95 cover five classes or more – the widest is SIMPSONS (THE), in 24 classes. A brand used beyond its core product (merchandise, services, related goods) needs protection in each of those classes: in South Africa each class is a separate application.
When in the year does Disney usually file trademarks?
Over the last ten years, Disney filed most often in November (38% of its filings), August (18%) and October (16%); the busiest quarter was Q4 (56%). Filing well before a launch matters: rights in South Africa date from the filing date, and examination can take more than a year.
Which classes do Disney's competitors protect that Disney does not?
Several of Disney's closest competitors have filed since 2015 in classes Disney has never used: class 26 (haberdashery, 4 of its top five competitors); class 45 (legal & security, 3 of its top five competitors); class 44 (medical & beauty care, 3 of its top five competitors); class 6 (metal goods, 2 of its top five competitors). These are not necessarily gaps – they may reflect different products – but they are worth reviewing against the goods and services the business actually offers or plans.
How do retailers' own brands compete with Disney in trademarks?
Retailers' house brands are a growing presence in Disney's market. In class 9 (electronics & software), TFG and Takealot Online filed 0% of all trademarks in 2020–2024, compared with 0% in 2005–2014. Retailers are often a brand owner's largest customers and, through their own brands, also its competitors.
Why did some of Disney's trademarks take more than five years to register?
Of Disney's trademarks registered in the last two years, 4% had waited more than four years since filing. Almost all of that time is examination: the South African registry has been working through a backlog, so many applications filed in 2020–2022 are only now being accepted. Once a mark is accepted, it is advertised and normally registered within about six months. Prompt responses to the registry's examination reports (office actions) avoid adding further delay.
How long do Disney's South African trademarks last, and when must they be renewed?
A South African trademark registration lasts ten years from the filing date and can be renewed for further ten-year periods indefinitely. Renewal can be paid in the months before the due date, and a six-month grace period applies after it, with a late-payment fee; a mark that is not renewed is removed from the register. A registered mark can also be challenged if it has not been used for five years or more, so use matters as much as renewal.
Do Disney's South African trademarks protect its brands elsewhere in Africa?
No – trademarks are territorial, and a South African registration covers South Africa only. South Africa is not a member of the Madrid system, so international registration is not available to South African applicants. Protection elsewhere in Africa comes from national filings (for example Nigeria), a single OAPI registration covering 17 West and Central African states, or a regional ARIPO application designating member states such as Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. S&Z files in all of these, including Nigeria together with South Africa (SANi).
What can Disney do if someone files a mark similar to one of its brands?
When a new application is advertised for opposition, the owner of an earlier, similar mark can oppose it – in South Africa within three months of the advertisement (this period can be extended). After registration, a conflicting mark can still be challenged through rectification of the register, and use of a confusingly similar mark can be stopped through an infringement action. The key is seeing new applications in time, which is what a similar-mark watch does.
What is SimTM?
SimTM is the similar-trademark technology behind GlobalIPCo's South African trademark watching services, which S&Z uses. It identifies newly published trademarks that sound or look similar to a registered mark, at four levels of sensitivity that progressively widen the marks flagged – from the most relevant to marks of more general interest. It is fast enough to check every trademark journal as it is published, so owners can be alerted to similar marks while they can still be opposed within the three-month opposition period. The word marks listed under “Word marks you may have considered opposing” were found with SimTM's two closest levels and then reviewed, so only marks we consider confusingly similar to Disney's brands are shown.
How accurate is the information on this page?
The figures, charts and videos on this page are based on trademark and trade data obtained by S&Z, and are only as accurate as that data. Records can be incomplete, delayed or contain errors, and linking marks to Disney and its group companies involves judgement. S&Z therefore does not guarantee that all the information is 100% accurate or complete. It is a general overview, not legal advice: please contact S&Z before relying on it for a filing, renewal, opposition or other decision.