General Electric trademarks: expansion into trademark classes, 1970–2022
Video: how General Electric extended its South African trademarks into new classes from 1970 to 2022 – from machines, chemicals, electronics & software into new fields. 32 of 45 classes, 224 trademarks. South African trademark statistics by Sibanda & Zantwijk.
Transcript
- Before 1970, General Electric already used 12 classes, including class 20 furniture, class 16 paper & print, class 10 medical devices, class 1 chemicals, class 2 paints.
- 1972: General Electric moves into class 8 hand tools; class 37 construction & repair.
- 1977: General Electric moves into class 41 education & entertainment.
- 1978: General Electric moves into class 21 kitchenware.
- 1979: General Electric moves into class 17 rubber & plastics.
- 1983: General Electric moves into class 3 cosmetics & cleaning; class 4 oils & fuels.
- 1998: General Electric moves into class 19 building materials; class 25 clothing; class 35 advertising & retail; class 36 finance & insurance; class 38 telecoms; class 39 transport & travel; class 40 processing materials; class 42 tech & IT services.
- 2001: General Electric moves into class 18 leather & bags.
- 2005: General Electric moves into class 5 pharmaceuticals; class 44 medical & beauty care.
- 2016: General Electric moves into class 45 legal & security.
- 2017: General Electric moves into class 22 ropes & tents.
- By 2022, General Electric had trademarks in 32 of the 45 classes.