WALKMAN
WALKMAN adds historical interest to Class 9 because it is one of the classic marks linked to portable audio. The name still carries strong cultural recognition and helps tell the story of how electronics brands can define whole categories.
UK IPO Record
- Application Number
- UK00801160752
- Word Mark
- WALKMAN
- Status
- Registered
- Applied
- 8 April 2013
- Registered
- 8 April 2014
- Next Renewal
- 8 April 2033
- Owner
- Sony Corporation
- Nice Classes
- Class 9
Brand History & Trademark Analysis
WALKMAN adds historical interest to Class 9 because it is one of the classic marks linked to portable audio. The name still carries strong cultural recognition and helps tell the story of how electronics brands can define whole categories. That makes the page richer than a list of current tech giants alone.
Nice Class 9 covers technology & software. View all Class 9 trademarks and case studies →
Historical Background
Sony launched the Walkman TPS-L2 on 1 July 1979 in Japan, developed under the direction of chairman Masaru Ibuka and marketed by Akio Morita. The name was chosen over internal alternatives such as "Soundabout" and "Stowaway" which Sony used in different markets. Sony registered Walkman as a trademark globally and has vigorously resisted genericisation — the word was accepted into the Oxford English Dictionary in 1986 but Sony successfully lobbied for it to be listed with a capital W and attributed to Sony. The mark remains active and Sony continues to sell Walkman-branded digital audio players.