LeBron James Challenges Taco John’s ‘Taco Tuesday’ Trademark
30 years after Taco John's officially trademarked the phrase "Taco Tuesday", the Cheyenne-based corporation may have a new legal challenge from basketball star LeBron James. On August 15th, James filed a request to trademark "Taco Tuesday" through his company LBJ Trademarks LLC, according to Josh Gerben of the Gerben Law Firm.
The NBA legend has posted several weekly "Taco Tuesday" updates on his social media outlets this summer, documenting his quest to discover the best tacos in America. In the trademark application, James is seeking rights to a "Taco Tuesday" podcast and online video channel.
Taco John's hasn't officially responded to James' trademark application. The company trademarked the phrase in 1989 and has defended the claim against several other restaurants.
“Over the years we’ve certainly asserted our trademark against national companies, restaurants big and small, and even pharmaceutical companies,” Taco John's Chief Marketing Officer Billie Jo Waara told Price Economics in 2016. “We also recognize that the unauthorized use [the trademark] is prolific, and we do our best to communicate ownership. It’s a challenge for sure.”
Taco John's claims the slogan originated from a Minnesota franchise in the early '80s, who made the phrase the centerpiece of a successful marketing campaign. After adopting the slogan nationwide, the corporation used the "Taco Tuesday" phrase in a series of high-profile television and radio commercials throughout the 80s before the slogan was officially trademarked. The trademark has been challenged several times during the past three decades but remains in effect in every state except New Jersey.