Happy Thanksgiving: How Trademarks Have Been Gracing Our Holiday Tables for More than a Century

Here in the U.S. it's nearly Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday. I thought it would be fun to explore some famous branded food items often seen around a typical American holiday table. Any guess as to which brand is the oldest? I'll admit even I was surprised. Let's have some fun!

Let's talk turkey. Butterball turkey has been a registered trademark since 1962.

Everyone has their own version of stuffing. Or some might call it dressing. For those who do not make it from scratch, Stove Top stuffing and Pepperidge Farm stuffing have been helping us stuff our turkeys since 1972 and 1937, respectively. The Pepperidge Farm logo below came on the scene in 1998 and has been associated with the brand ever since. The current Stove Top stylization was adopted in 1978.

How do you like your cranberries? Do you make them fresh? That is my personal preference. Or do you like them straight out of the can? Either way, Ocean Spray has you covered. They have been a staple of Thanksgiving meals since 1921.

Does your family still make a green bean casserole? In my family, we eat so much rich food on Thanksgiving, that we just like a steamed vegetable. Whatever you do, perhaps Birds Eye frozen vegetables are on your Thanksgiving table. They've been around since 1930.

Let's not forget dessert. Pumpkin pie is one of my favorite desserts. I could eat it after every meal. Most of us don't have the time to make a pie crust from scratch like our grandmothers did. Pillsbury makes a great ready-made pie crust, and combined with Libby pumpkin, you can make a great pie in no time flat. For me, I like my pie smothered in Reddi-Wip whipped cream. One of these dessert trademarks is the oldest Thanksgiving trademark on our list. Can you guess which one? I'll put the dates below the logos so you can guess.

Here are the dates: Libby's date of first use is 1894; Pillsbury has a date of first use of 1873 (so it's the oldest). The logo above came into use in 1975 when the Pillsbury dough boy came on the scene, and Reddi-Wip has been in use since 1948 (the stylization above since 1949). I was surprised by Reddi-Wip's age, I must admit.

I want to wish you and your families a very Happy Thanksgiving and hope you've enjoyed this stroll through all the well-known brands that help make the food we eat so enjoyable at the holidays. Have a restful and relaxing holiday weekend!

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Stacey C. Kalamaras is the founding partner of Kalamaras Law Office, LLC. She has extensive intellectual property experience with a focus on trademarks and copyrights, as well as, advertising issues related to promoting clients’ brands. She can be reached at [email protected].

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