Netflix owns some pretty strange trademarks, and they reveal a lot about the company

The company controls usages of the phrases "Strong black lead”, “What a Joke”, “Queue” and “Cheat”, but not "Netflix and Chill".

Netflix’s trademark filings rarely make headlines, but they reveal more about the company’s ambitions than most press releases.

While the core business is streaming, the trademark register shows Netflix experimenting with everything from memes to restaurants, live events, and product design.

Each trademark sits as a data point in Netflix’s strategy for growth and risk. The legal paperwork can be the earliest hint of where the company is heading.

I found over 300 active trademarks Netflix maintains, plus hundreds more that are dead, rejected, abandoned or tangentially-related. I have picked out eight which give us an insight in the streaming giant:

1. “Strong black lead”

2. “Qwikster“

3. “What a Joke”

4. “Netflix bites”

5. “Queue”

6. “Cheat”

7. “Easy”

8. “Netflix and chill”

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1. “Strong Black Lead” - Trademarking diversity

Serial No.: 90875991

Status: Registered (as of April 2025)

Summary: Covers a wide array of goods and services (Classes 16, 18, 21, 25, 35, 38, and 41), including publishing, apparel, housewares, broadcasting, and event production. Netflix Studios, LLC owns the mark.

That’s right, Netflix has exclusive control over the phrase “strong black lead” for everything from print and publishing to digital media, apparel, events and product tie-ins.

At first that may feel like the worst kind of corporate land-grab of a social issue. But under the surface, Netflix has done the work.

Their Strong Black Lead initiative started with Black executives flagging the lack of targeted promotion for Netflix’s significant library of Black-led stories. From this, the company built a social media presence, original podcasts, and special campaigns. The public launch, timed with the 2018 BET Awards, featured a recreation of the historic “A Great Day in Harlem” photo, positioning Netflix’s Black creators as key to its identity.

Strong Black Lead became a core business strategy, supporting US subscriber growth at a time when domestic numbers were under pressure. Netflix gave the brand its own budget, developed original video and podcast content, and tied it to a pipeline for Black writers, directors and creative talent.

Netflix published internal research showing a correlation between Black creators involved behind the camera and improved representation on screen. The company spent over $100 million on creative equity funds and talent pipelines, including specialised bootcamps and partnerships with Black media educators.

2. “Qwikster” - Netflix’s biggest mistake

Serial No.: 85425822

Status: Abandoned/Dead

Summary: Filed in 2011 for computerised retail, streaming, video rental, entertainment, etc. (Classes 35, 38, 41). Application abandoned due to failure to respond to an Office Action.

In 2011, Netflix tried to spin off its DVD-by-mail service as a separate company called Qwikster. The plan was framed as forward-thinking self-disruption: give each business its own focus before streaming eclipsed DVDs entirely.

Internally, two divisions had already split and key DVD executives were leaving. Netflix’s leadership believed unbundling the services would allow streaming to grow faster, and the DVD side to run out its model on its own terms.

But there was a lot wrong with the plan, such as:

• Not enough brand planning. Netflix had failed to secure both the trademark and @qwikster Twitter handle.

• No user focus. Subscribers faced dual websites, queues, bills and lost Netflix’s single, unified recommendation engine.

• Bad timing. The announcement followed a price hike that had already angered customers.

• Poor communication, with the messaging being focused on the strategy, not benefits.

The result of this misteps was felt almost immediately. Netflix lost at least 800,000 subscribers in a single quarter. and the stock price dropped by more than 75% in four months.

But almost as quickly, the company responded - reversing their plans just 22 days after launch and adjusting to the overwhelming feedback. The stock price rebounded, customers returned, and renewed focus on product and content led to Netflix Originals.

So, somewhat ironically, Netflix didn’t have the Qwikster trademark when they actually needed it, but now they do, I very much doubt they’ll be doing anything with it in the future!

3. “What a Joke” - Making fun of yourself for views

Serial Nos: 88041782 (Reg. No. 5875454 — radio), 90818362 (entertainment expansion), and 88482751 (Reg. No. 6137493 — "What a Joke")

Status: "Netflix Is a Joke" is registered for radio entertainment (Class 38; since Oct 2019). Applications expanding coverage to Class 41 (streaming, live comedy events, festival production) are live and in progress. "What a Joke" (the Netflix comedy radio show) is separately registered (Class 41; Aug 2020).

The first the world heard about these trademarks was in 2017 when a series of mysterious billboards appeared across LA and New York, proclaiming that “NETFLIX IS A JOKE”.