The social media sensation who coined the popular phrase “very demure, very thoughtful” is fighting back after several people tried to trademark her phrase.
Chicago-based content creator Jools Lebron became an overnight sensation in early August when she posted a video of herself showing her followers how to present themselves in the office.
In a now-iconic tone, she described her look as “very understated” and “very thoughtful,” inspiring countless people around the world to use the phrase in their own posts, videos and comments.
But after someone filed a trademark application for the phrase “very demure… very thoughtful…” on August 20, Jools posted a now-deleted TikTok in which she cried over the development, as it destroyed any chance of her selling merchandise featuring the phrase she had originally coined.
But now she says she has ‘handled’ the situation in a much more effective way. happy videoand claims she has a team that presumably helps her with trademark matters.
“Divas, regarding the trademark, I feel like I have to say something. We’ve got it under control and I’m going to leave it at that,” she said. “Mommy has a team now.”
In a much more optimistic video, Jools Lebron (pictured) said she had the trademark situation “under control”
Someone named Jefferson Bates had attempted to trademark the phrase, before Julian Rosa filed the same documents a little over a week later, on August 29, under the title “VERY DEMURE VERY MINDFUL.”
The other high-profile competitors for the rights to the coveted four words are two women who used slight variations of the phrase in their applications to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
A woman named Kassandra Pop filed an application for “very demure, very cute” for advertising services on August 24, and Almondia White filed an application for “always demure and very thoughtful” for hats and clothing on August 27.
“This merch situation is driving me absolutely crazy,” she said through her tears in her original update.
“I put so much money and time into it and I feel like I did it wrong.”
Jools, who now has more than two million followers, was even asked to perform on Jimmy Kimmel Live
As of September 5, no trademark application had been filed under the name Jools Lebron.
The rising star, who is transgender, has said she hopes to use the profits she makes from merchandise sales to “do so much for her family” and “provide for her transition.”
Since her first video became popular, which has now been viewed over 51 million times, many celebrities have used her sound in their own TikToks, including Jennifer Lopez, Olivia Rodrigo, RuPaul and Penn Badgely.
Jools, who now has more than two million followers, was even asked to perform on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
“I think demure is a mindset. I was crazy and out of control, and then I found some demurity,” she explained during her visit to the show. “And with that came the success.”
Jools also hinted that she had struck a deal with Netflix, sharing a photo of herself standing outside the streaming service’s offices on TikTok.
After Jools voiced her displeasure over the trademark controversy, people sent X, formerly Twitter, a massive message of support.
‘Sorry, but if my money doesn’t go straight to Jools, [for the merch] then I don’t believe it. Jefferson Bates is such a loser for doing that to her,’ someone scathingly responded.
“I’m about to boycott any merchandise I see with ‘Demure’ on it as the proceeds don’t go to Jools,” someone else announced.
Since it appears that Jools has not yet filed for a trademark, at least not under her own name (trademarks can be filed under company names), it’s unclear exactly how she plans to do so.