The Muppets Take on IP!

If you’ve read our National Inventors Hall of Fame^®Guide to Intellectual Property (IP), then you know that IP is all around us. Even some of our favorite entertainment is protected by patents, copyrights and trademarks alike! Keep reading to discover how some of our most nostalgic memories are preserved with the power of IP.

Jim Henson’s Journey to the Muppets

Think back to your childhood – do you remember seeing bright and energetic puppets light up your screen? If so, you’ve probably taken a stroll down “Sesame Street^®” or shared a few laughs with loveable Muppets®! We have Jim Henson’s endless creativity to thank for these timeless characters.

Henson, inspired by art and television, was still in high school when he first landed a job for “The Junior Morning Show” as a kid puppeteer. In college, Henson took a puppetry course where he met his future wife and business partner, Jane Henson. Together, they created and performed a show called “Sam and Friends” and founded Muppets Inc. (now The Jim Henson Co.).

As Henson’s career continued to grow, so did his collection of whimsical Muppets and other characters for many television shows and movies. Henson continued creating vibrant and meaningful characters the rest of his life, bringing immeasurable joy to both children and adults!

National Inventors Hall of Fame^® Inductee Polly Smith was also a contributor to the magic. She was hired by The Jim Henson Co. as a costume designer for “The Muppet Show,” and she went on to enjoy a fulfilling career designing for television shows including “Sesame Street” and “Fraggle Rock,” and for films like “The Dark Crystal,” “The Muppets Take Manhattan” and “Labyrinth.” Her incredible work led to several awards, including seven Emmy^® Awards!

How Does IP Protect the Muppets?

While trademarks, copyrights and patents are all forms of IP, they offer different protections for our favorite friendly Muppets.

A trademark can protect a word, phrase, symbol or design used to identify and promote products or services. You also can trademark a character, scent or sound if it meets certain conditions to make sure no one else is able to claim ownership of the thing being protected. Many of Henson’s most familiar creations are protected by registered trademarks – like Cookie Monster^®!

Copyrights protect creative works from books to music to motion pictures. This gives the owner or creator the right to decide what others can do with their work. Copyrights can protect many forms of visual, written or physical artwork. The Muppet films and many of the characters are protected by copyrights.

A patent, on the other hand, protects an invention that is novel, non-obvious and useful. Once protected by a patent, no one else can make or sell your unique creation. There are several kinds of patents including plant, utility and design patents. Henson’s first Muppet patents were for characters Wilkins and Wontkins – a puppet duo dreamed up to advertise coffee. The characters were both issued unique design patents.

Next time you’re watching your favorite show or exploring relatable characters, keep an eye out for patents, copyrights or trademark symbols – you’ll begin to see that much of our favorite entertainment is kept safe and secure with IP!

Keep Learning

To uncover more of the ways we can see IP in the world around us, continue exploring our blog.