Schrute Farms Trademark Offers Hope for Potential Spinoff
The Office remains one of the most popular shows in recent memory. Fans seemingly could not get enough of Michael Scott and the other characters from the successful sitcom. However, Dwight Schrute always stood out on the show. While we were deprived of a potential spinoff featuring the character, a Schrute Farms trademark application could give fans a bit of hope.
Schrute Farms Trademark Filed
On July 6, 2023, NBC Universal filed four separate trademarks with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). This is not uncommon, as these filings are a common practice when new shows are on the horizon. However, these particular filings will undoubtedly catch the attention of The Office fans since they’re all related to Dwight Schrute’s fictional farm.
NBC Universal sought trademark registration of “Schrute Farms” for use on blankets, tote bags, and a variety of beverageware items. Additionally, they’ve requested trademark protection for “Schrute Farms Beets” to be used on stickers. While this could be indicative of nothing more than expanded merchandising, there’s also the possibility that a spinoff could be on the horizon.
What Happened to the Schrute Farms Spinoff?
When The Office was nearing the end of its run, there was a lot of talk about a potential spinoff centering on Dwight Schrute and his farm. In fact, executive producer Paul Lieberstein even took time off to work on the show — and a pilot for The Farm was actually filmed. Unfortunately for fans of Dwight, NBC Universal passed on the show.
The reason behind this decision is still largely a mystery. However, the episode of The Office meant to serve as a “backdoor pilot” received mostly negative reviews. Some critics even stated that the show would’ve “wrecked Dwight and Angela’s ending.” Of course, nothing is permanent in Hollywood. There’s always the possibility that a popular idea could be revived.
If fans of The Office are lucky, this foray into Schrute Farms trademark merchandising could be a sign of things to come. And if not, they’ll at least get some cool products out of it.
Prior Attempts to Trademark Schrute Farms
While they went largely unnoticed by the general public, there have been prior attempts to trademark Schrute Farms. In 2018, multiple applications were filed for “Schrute Farms Bed & Breakfast.” The same year, we also saw an application submitted for “Schrute Farms Beets.” However, none of these applications made it far — and none were filed by NBC.
Perusing the Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS), you’ll find that each of these applications is marked as “Dead.” The information on file shows that the registration process was abandoned in all instances. However, this doesn’t mean the filers simply decided not to move forward with their plans.
In fact, it appears as if there was significant pushback. Everything from Trademark Letters of Protest to Notices of Opposition were filed to prevent registration. Clearly, they worked. The applicants eventually stopped responding in some cases, leaving the Schrute Farms trademark — and all iterations — in limbo for years.
What Comes Next?
There’s a solid chance that NBC Universal will secure trademark rights over Schrute Farms and Schrute Farms Beets. After all, the fictional farm and produce come directly from their insanely popular media property. They’ll have to go through the typical process, but if everything goes smoothly, they should secure exclusive rights over the terms soon.
Even if no spinoff is on the way, fans will finally get to sport official “swag” from their favorite show that never was.
