Katy Perry's 'left shark' trademark application rejected

Katy Perry's attempts to register a trademark based on the dancing 'left shark' from her Super Bowl half-time show have been rejected.

The Roar hitmaker filed paperwork with the US Trademark Office in a bid to cash in on the phenomenon surrounding the dancing shark, which became an Internet sensation for its awkward dance moves during the high-profile show in February (15).

One sculptor tried to capitalise on its success by making a 3D figurine of the shark and Perry's lawyers fired off a cease-and-desist letter in February (15) to halt production and they have since taken steps to prevent further unofficial reproductions.

Perry filed legal papers to register a 'left shark' design and the phrases "left shark", "right shark", "drunk shark" and "basking shark" but her initial attempts for design registration were rejected last week (ends19Apr15).

Trademark examiner David Collier ruled there were subtle differences between a photograph of the shark and the design application, and not enough evidence had been submitted to prove the 'left shark' design is closely associated with Perry's performance, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Perry can submit the application again. The phrases she wanted to trademark are still being processed.