American Muscle: The Intellectual Property of GM and Ford Then, Now and Forever

GM was awarded a registered trademark on a sleek, stealthy little roadster 62 years ago this month. You might be familiar with its racecar lines and bad-as-I-wanna-be vibes--it's the Corvette.

Let's take a brief detour and discuss just what a trademark is for all my non-IP lawyer readers. The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) defines a trademark as "any word, name, symbol, device, or any combination, used or intended to be used to identify and distinguish the goods/services of one seller or provider from those of others, and to indicate the source of the goods/services." Translated in plain English this means that when you see a trademark, or symbol, it conjurs up the company that's behind the magic of the product (think McDonald's arches).

All right, now that we have the meaning of a trademark down pat, let's get back to the car itself. The first ever trademarked 1953 Corvette boasted two options: a signal seeking AM radio ($145.15) and a heater ($91.40).

Car IP has clearly come a long way. One of the most exciting vehicles available to consumers right now is the Ford F-150. As a top seller, this rough and rugged truck is now becoming increasingly...wait for it...luxurious!(?) Yes, you read that right. Luxury is the one word that popped in my mind when I read about some of the cool tech on these new models: a self-parallel parking vehicle with massage seats. What more could any American cowboy ask for? And to think it was a pretty big deal to have an AM radio and heat in the '53 Vette.

Car IP has drastically evolved in the last six decades but it's cars like the 1953 Corvette

that inspired the speed and luxury of today's F-150's. Don't forget to take a peak at and pay homage to some of these classic 1953 beauties when you're shopping for your next massage chair, ahem, I mean, truck!