Chelsea FC sensation Cole Palmer has trademarked the term ‘Cold Palmer’ in a massive, innovative move to secure and further his brand in the football world. According to The Athletic, Palmer’s application, submitted to the UK government’s Intellectual Property Office in November, was approved on Friday.
It secures the ‘Cold’ nickname for the footballer’s exclusive commercial use. No individual or organisation can use it without his permission. The trademark application included a product list which Palmer’s private company, Palmer Management Limited, intends to use for: energy drinks, soaps, bath salts, snacks, razor blades, mobile phone covers, drones, underwater vehicles, toys, and so on.
The trademark registration lasts until November 2034
and can be renewed for another decade for a fee.
The ‘Cold Palmer’ term became popular after Palmer went through a brilliant season in 2023-24, winning the PFA Young Player of the Year and Premier League Young Player of the Season awards. From a bench-warmer at Manchester City, he became the face of Chelsea with several important goals.
That, along with his shivering cold celebration, earned him the praise of being ‘Cold’, an English slang for ‘cool’ or ‘clutch’ — both of which he was in that season. According to industry experts, trademarking it legally provides Palmer with an extra revenue stream.
“A player looking to register a nickname, a brand name, or their own name is essentially taking steps to protect their brand identity,” Ben Travers, a partner in intellectual property law at Foot Anstey LLP, tells The Athletic. “And that’s helpful, obviously, while they are at the height of their professional career, but it also potentially helps them create a long-term revenue through licensing, whether that’s video games, or merchandise, or whatever it might be.”
It means now his company can sell products with the ‘Cole Palmer’ reference, and no one can copy it legally, which includes companies like EA, which makes video games, and even Chelsea, which might need his consent or license to use the term.
It’s not uncommon for footballers to do trademarks, either. David Beckham registered his mark for several goods, and Cristiano Ronaldo trademarked his name, CR7 initials, and the ‘Siu’ celebration.
Palmer is also trying to trademark his celebration, which will have similar rules, though that won’t mean other footballers — like Morgan Rogers, who Palmer learned it from — can’t continue to do it.
