Remember, Walt Disney said ‘It all started with 247,156’

As we approach the 90th anniversary of Mickey Mouse, everyone knows that his birthday comes with the official debut of “Steamboat Willie” on Nov. 18, 1928.

But it is another date and an important number that has helped keep Mickey Mouse special. (That is other than his fun personality). The date is Sept. 19, 1928 and the number is 247,156.

That number is the Trademark Number for Mickey Mouse.

Disney filed the trademark with th the U.S. Patent Office in September 1928 stating that the name Mickey Mouse has been used by his business since May 1, 1928.

Now for clarification, a trademark protects items that help define a company brand. A copyright is geared toward literary and artistic works.

Mickey Mouse is Disney’s most coveted piece of intellectual property. Disney is Mickey and Mickey is Disney. The two are synonymous(e).

Like many of its other intellectual properties, Disney has a myriad of rules and guidelines as to how, when and where Mickey and Mickey’s image can be used.

While the trademark for Mickey will continue, it just needs to be renewed every 10 years as long as it is in use. The copyright on the original Mickey Mouse is up on Jan. 1, 2024.

While this means the copyright of “Steamboat Willie” and “The Barn Dance” will be available for people to make copies and share, this does not necessarily mean Mickey Mouse himself enters the public domain. The trademark is still in effect and that may be good enough, Stephen Carlisle the copyright officer for Nova Southeastern Universty wrote in 2014. 

Because Mickey is so associated with Disney that might help protect Mickey in the future. Carlisle’s article does a great job explaining this entire issue.

The shield to protect Mickey is 247,156.