USPTO’s Creepy IP pays homage to this most frightening, festive time of year 

Every October, the USPTO dives into the patent and trademark archives to find some eerie, spooky, and haunting examples of creepy IP, or intellectual property. This monthlong campaign–known as #CreepyIP–began in 2011 as a fun way to educate the public about the importance of intellectual property by embracing the Halloween spirit.

Not surprisingly, the USPTO’s social media community loved it, and other organizations joined in on the trend. 

The stats are clear: Halloween continues to grow in popularity. According to a report last year from the National Retail Federation, Halloween spending in 2023 was “expected to reach a record $12.2 billion, exceeding [the previous] year’s record of $10.6 billion,” and “a record number of people (73 percent) [would] participate in Halloween-related activities this year, up from 69 percent in 2022.”

Highlighting Halloween-themed brands and inventions gives the USPTO an opportunity to make IP more approachable and exciting. It also helps social media users consider the innovation and entrepreneurship that went into the products’ development.

The USPTO’s posts include festive patents and trademarks for a range of items—including Halloween masks, décor, costumes, candies, and cookie cutters. They also delve into oddities such as exorcism-inspired board games, spooky clown doll design patent art, and anatomical skeletons. 

And they can’t leave out the hair-raising IP from some of your favorite scary movies.

This IP education with a twist often comes with a bit of historical background. This year, USPTO historian Becky Oakes will provide creepy video overviews of patents such as the corpse preserver, poison bottle, tooth regulator, and fire escape.

If you enjoy IP with a little frightful fun, follow the USPTO @USPTO on Instagram, Facebook, and X.