Luke Littler, the reigning and youngest darts world champion in history, has applied to register his face as a trade mark in the UK for a wide range of products and services in a move designed to prevent the unauthorised commercial use of his image — including by generative AI.
In just over two years, the 19-year-old English darting phenomenon has won back-to-back World Championship titles, prize money of more than NZ$7 million and recently signed a 10 year sponsorship deal reportedly worth more than NZ$47 million. Littler’s image has already been used legally on a range of products and in brand partnerships and promotions.
Source: https://trademarks.ipo.gov.uk/ipo-tmcase/page/Results/1/UK00004350490
Why has Littler made this move?
Littler joins a growing list of public figures seeking to protect their likeness from AI misuse, including actor Matthew McConaughey, Chelsea footballer Cole Palmer and Nelson Mandela (via the Nelson Mandela Foundation).
Trade mark registration allows a person or business to legally protect a brand or identifying feature from being used without permission. While most registered trade marks are names or logos, they can also include faces, signatures, slogans, and distinctive personal branding elements if they are used commercially.
There are several reasons why someone like Littler would trade mark his face:
- Control over commercial use
The owner of a registered trade mark can stop unauthorised third party commercial uses of the same or a similar image. - Monetisation
The owner of a registered trade mark can make money from licensing the registered image for merchandise, sponsorships and in advertising campaigns. - Protection against AI deepfakes and impersonation
Registered trade marks can be used to help control the commercial AI use of a person’s likeness. - Deterrent effect
A registered trade mark can discourage opportunistic unauthorised third party commercial uses of the image (such as on unofficial merchandise). - Right to take legal action
Registered trade mark owners have stronger legal remedies against unauthorised commercial uses compared with unregistered trade mark rights owners .
Can’t Littler rely on other rights to protect the authorised use of his image?
The short answer is “possibly” but not easily as the UK (or New Zealand and Australia) does not have standalone “image rights” or “personality rights” laws. Instead, celebrities like Littler must rely on a patchwork of trade mark, passing off, copyright, and privacy laws to protect the authorised use of their image.
Are there any fish hooks trade marking faces?
The biggest legal hurdle is that a registered trade mark must identify the source of the goods or services covered by the registration. So trade mark registration for faces is likely to be reserved for well-known public figures including celebrities, entertainers and sports figures.
And registration will not prevent all uses of the face – including in news reporting or non-commercial use.
Could Littler trade mark his face in New Zealand and Australia?
Very likely. Littler has already trade marked his name and nickname “THE NUKE” in multiple countries, including in New Zealand and Australia and is already a well known sporting figure down under so registering his face or likeness would be a logical next step.
Using the trade mark registration system is one of the most effective tools available to protect commercial image rights particularly while laws around AI-generated content are still evolving.
Whether Littler seeks to trade mark his face in New Zealand and Australia will be interesting to watch — and may signal a broader trend of athletes, influencers, and public figures turning their faces into protected brand assets in the AI era.
If you’re interested in exploring your trade mark rights, please reach out to one of our experts.
