Gene Simmons applies to trademark ‘devil horns’ hand gesture
Gene Simmons, lead singer of rock band Kiss, has applied to trademark the so-called devil horns hand gesture.
The sign, described as consisting “of a hand gesture with the index and small fingers extended upward and the thumb extended perpendicular”, has been widely used in the rock music scene, but Simmons claimed he first made the sign in November 1974 while performing on stage.
It is also the sign-language symbol for ‘I love you’ due to its combination of the letters I, l and Y.
The trademark was applied for in international class 41—entertainment, namely, live performances by a musical artist, and personal appearances by a musical artist.
The application, US serial number 87482739, has yet to be assigned to an examiner.
It is not the first trademark application to cover a hand gesture.
In April 2015, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) applied to register the ‘clique’ gesture, which was to be used on t-shirts.
WWE’s gesture comprised the two middle fingers being pressed against the thumb with both the index and little finger raised in the air.
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