Although she's notoriously protective of her brand, Taylor Swift isn't known to be especially litigious. But the singer has been on a trademark tear, attempting to register a handful of phrases in advance of her 1989 World Tour, which launches in Tokyo on May 5.
In addition to playful lines like "this sick beat," found on her single "Shake It Off," Swift's recent requests to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office include relatively esoteric phrases like "Nice to meet you, where you been?" and "Party like it's 1989." Some 37 applications have been filed on her behalf since October 2014, shortly before Swift's album was released, presumably to thwart unofficial vendors from ripping off her brand with such merch as shirts, hats, bags, toys and lanyards.