TikTok creator faces legal battle over ‘very demure, very mindful’ catchphrase
Photos from joolieannie/Instagram
Even the “very mindful, very demure” content creators can get entangled in legal disputes.
With 2.1 million followers on TikTok, trans influencer Jools Lebron gained overnight fame with her advice on how to be “demure,” “mindful” and “cutesy” at work and in daily life. Her video has racked up nearly 50 million views on the social media platform.
With over 173,000 posts spotlighting the phrase in just one week, Lebron quickly ascended to stardom, catching the attention of brands like Netflix and Verizon, and celebrities – including Olivia Rodrigo and Jennifer Lopez – who hopped on the trend.
@joolieannie #fyp #demure ♬ original sound – Jools Lebron
However, this success story took a turn when two individuals filed for a trademark on her now-famous “very demure, very mindful” catchphrase.
In an emotional TikTok post, which has been deleted, Lebron expressed her regret, saying, “I wanted to do so much for my family and provide for my transition, and I just feel like I dropped the ball.”
Who really owns the ‘very demure, very mindful’ catchphrase?
One of the two individuals who filed a trademark application in California, Raluca Pop, founder of the social media platform Hive Social, emerged as an unexpected ally. Pop clarified that she plans to transfer the trademark to the rightful owner.
“Once I saw that this other guy tried to steal it out from under her, I realized that he didn’t trademark the remainder of her phrase, ‘very cutesy,’” Pop explained to NBC News.
The other individual who filed for the trademark, Jefferson Bates, is from Washington and has no connection with Lebron.
If Bates’ application is approved, the TikTok star could be barred from using her own catchphrase in sponsored content or official merchandise – unless Lebron is able to secure a federal trademark.
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On a positive note, trademark attorney and Influencer Legal founder Alli Edmunzer, believes Lebron still has a fighting chance, noting that Bates’ $1 billion trademark application is solely based on an “intent to use” — which means he has yet to use the famous phrase in commerce.
“This gives [Lebron] a leg up, because when she opposes, she can say he’s not using it and she is, and she has all this proof,” said Edmunzer.
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Meanwhile, Lebron admitted that navigating this newfound fame has been overwhelming. “I’ve just invested so much money and time into this, and I feel like I did it wrong. I feel like I didn’t try hard enough,” she said in the now deleted video.
Despite these hurdles, Lebron continues to make the most of her TikTok page, collaborating with the hair care brand K18, appearing on the Jimmy Kimmel show and hinting at potential projects with Netflix.
On Tuesday, the TikTok sensation updated her followers, reassuring them that the trademark dispute has been “handled” and that she has a team supporting her through every step of the legal process.
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