TikTok creator who popularized ‘very demure’ trend didn’t trademark her catchphrase

As many people continue to teach themselves how to be “very demure,” a surprise trademark application has sparked a frenzy over the legal rights to the viral phrase that captivated TikTok.

• The internet’s love for ‘very demure’ content spotlights what a viral trend can mean for creators

Jools Lebron, who has 2 million followers on TikTok, is credited for starting the online craze over the “very mindful” and “very cutesy” lingo. But two other people filed for trademarks before Lebron could, according to legal documents obtained by NBC News.

More than 173,000 TikTok posts have used the word “demure” in the last seven days, according to analytics from the platform. The trend burgeoned after Lebron went viral this month for her videos explaining how to be “very demure” at work, “very mindful” while waiting to board a plane and “very cutesy” during a night out on vacation. The phrases have been inundating social media to email inboxes as brands and celebrities hop on the trend.

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