ROLLS-ROYCE VOTED BRITAIN’S MOST ICONIC TRADE MARK IN NEW PUBLIC POLL

• Rolls-Royce voted Britain's most iconic trade mark of all time in a new public survey
• Poll commissioned by the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) to mark the 150th anniversary of the first UK trade mark being registered
• The IPO now protects over 2.5 million registered trade marks
• Result confirms Rolls-Royce’s status as a brand woven into Britain’s national identity
   

“We’re delighted that the British public has chosen Rolls-Royce as their favourite trade mark of all time. Our name has been synonymous with excellence for well over 100 years: the Silver Ghost was officially dubbed ‘the best car in the world’ in 1913, and we proudly retain that crown with the motor cars we hand-build at the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood today. We enjoy the rare privilege of a trade mark that transcends not only our own company, but our entire industry, with ‘the Rolls-Royce of…’ a global shorthand for the best of the best in any field. And for us as a team, it’s highly gratifying that our world-class engineering, craftsmanship and creativity resonate far beyond those who actually own and drive our motor cars.”
Julian Jenkins, Director of Sales & Brand, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars


Rolls-Royce has been voted Britain’s favourite trade mark of all time in a new poll commissioned by the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the first UK trade mark being registered.

Members of the public were invited to nominate and share their favourite UK trade marks, past or present, and explain what they felt makes a trade mark iconic. From around 2,000 responses, Rolls-Royce topped the list, its famous ‘double R’ trade mark, formed by the interlocked initial letters of its founders’ surnames, representing more than a century of British engineering excellence and craftsmanship in the popular consciousness. One respondent described Rolls-Royce as “an iconic British brand name which over time has become a worldwide metaphor for the best of the best”, with another calling it simply “the mark of quality”.

The IPO is the official UK government body responsible for intellectual property (IP) rights, including patents, designs, trade marks and copyright. It currently protects more than 2.5 million marks across 45 different classes of goods and services, with approximately 200,000 new applications received during the past 12 months alone. In its words, the 150th anniversary celebrates not just a legal milestone, but also the enduring role that brands play in connecting businesses with the public.