Françoise Bettencourt Meyers, the world’s wealthiest woman hailing from the L’Oréal cosmetics dynasty, is seeking to trademark Willis Raburu’s ‘Bazu’ phrase.
This slang, popularized by Gen Z, denotes a person of significant wealth, influence, or social standing.
The spotlight on ‘Bazu’ intensified in March when media personality Willis Raburu made waves after winning a court case against Airtel Kenya, securing Ksh6.5 million in a copyright dispute over the use of ‘Bazu’ in the promotion of the telecommunications company’s bundle without his consent.
Under Kenya’s Trade Marks Act, companies or individuals can apply for trademarks across 45 classes.
Raburu’s trademark, No. 116744, falls under the category of Advertising and Telecommunication Services.
However, L’Oréal, the French conglomerate behind the acquisition of Kenya’s Nice & Lovely brands, has submitted an application to trademark ‘Bazu’ in the realm of cosmetics, perfumery, and toiletries.
The application, dated February 6, 2023, as reported in the Kenya Industrial Property Institute (KIPI) journal, outlines L’Oréal’s intentions for ‘Bazu’ as embodying qualities of being ‘Boss’, Respectable, Influential, Loved by his people, and an ‘Inspirational Hustler’.
According to KIPI spokesperson Justus Ondari, L’Oréal’s application aligns with trademark regulations, as different classes of products necessitate separate trademark registrations.
However, he noted that exclusive ownership of a trademark across all classes is possible, as demonstrated by the late President Daniel Moi’s family’s registration of ‘Kabarak University’ across all 45 classes.
At 78 years old, Françoise Bettencourt Meyers not only holds the title of the world’s richest woman, as per Forbes, but also commands significant influence as the largest shareholder and chairman of the London-listed cosmetics powerhouse, L’Oréal.
Related: Willis Raburu’s Fat Salary At Citizen TV Makes Netizens Question Why He Quit His Job
