TTAB Affirms USPTO Rejection of I LOVE YOU THIS MUCH Specimens for Book Publishing Services

The Board upheld a refusal to register the mark I LOVE YOU THIS MUCH (in standard characters) for “Publication of books; publication of personalized story books; book publishing,” concluding that applicant's specimens of use failed to show a direct association between the mark and the recited services. Applicant sells customized story books (with the purchaser furnishing the name to be inserted on the book cover and also editing the text) but that did not qualify as publishing services. In re Lostmy.name Ltd, Serial No. 98342035 (February 17, 2026) [not precedential] (Opinion by Judge Martha B. Allard).

Trademark Rule 2.56(b) requires that the specimen of use show a "direct association between the mark and the services." "Essentially, the mark must be shown 'in a manner that would be perceived by potential purchasers as identifying the applicant’s services and indicating their source.'"

The description accompanying the display of applicant's mark (see above) is found on applicant's "Wonderbly" website, and states: "Create a book for up to four children, to show how enormously you love them in every moment of every day. A beautiful personalized picturebook to read together as a family."

The Board agreed with the examining attorney that "this description suggests Applicant’s services are more akin to 'customized printings of a pre-published template book to the order and specification of an individual customer.'" "Indeed, the text of the specimen (shown in the red box for easy reference) clearly indicates that the customized book is '[p]rinted and shipped in 48 hours.'"

As the specimen makes clear, Applicant does not publish, or issue books for sale or circulation, because the specific book ordered is not available to anyone but the consumer who ordered it. The production of the book is not professional, but personal: the book is not produced to be sold to others but because it was sold to one consumer who designed its content within a template.

Applicant argued that the consumer becomes the author of the book, which applicant then publishes. The Board, however, didn't buy it: publishing means sending out to the public, not sending the customized book back to the author/consumer. "Simply put, ordering a customized storybook for oneself, which Applicant merely prints and ships to the consumer (as denoted in its ordering details and discussed above), does not constitute 'publishing' or 'publication” services."

Concluding that the specimen fails to show a direct association between the I LOVE YOU THIS MUCH mark and the recited services, the Board affirmed the refusal.

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TTABlogger comment: Maybe this applicant will try again, with a better recitation of services.

Text Copyright John L. Welch 2026.