TODAY’S TRADEMARK – PARKER BROTHERS

Parker Brothers was an American toy and game manufacturer which in 1991 became a brand of Hasbro. Parker Brothers was founded by George S. Parker. Parker’s philosophy deviated from the prevalent theme of board game design; he believed that games should be played for enjoyment and did not need to emphasize morals and values. He created his first game, called Banking, in 1883 when he was 16. Banking is a game in which players borrow money from the bank and try to generate wealth by guessing how well they could do. The game includes 160 cards which foretell their failure or success. The game was so popular among family and friends that his brother, Charles Parker, urged him to publish it. George approached two Boston publishers with the idea, but was unsuccessful. Not discouraged, he spent $40 to publish 500 sets of Banking. He eventually sold all but twelve copies, making a profit of $100.

The trademark of this company was registered in USPTO bearing registration number 1618905 on October 23, 1990.