Walmart files trademark application to protect movie venture

by Talk Business & Politics staff ([email protected]) 1,307 views 

Walmart Inc. and Tribeca Film Festival will partner to host the Walmart Drive-in, a series of free drive-in movie screenings across the country. The retail giant announced the initiative on July 1, then followed up with more details Aug. 5.

Walmart Drive-in will temporarily turn 160 of the retail giant’s U.S. Supercenter parking lots into contact-free drive-in movies. TheWalmartDriveIn.com has specific dates, store locations and films for each stop of the movie tour, which runs through Oct. 21. Tickets for the pop-up events are free, but advance registration through the website is required. The tour will visit Supercenters in Northwest Arkansas the week of Sept. 15-23.

The drive-in movie experience is making a comeback this summer due to COVID-19 and social distancing measures. It’s the subject of a cover story in the current issue of the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal’s sister publication, Northeast Arkansas Talk Business & Politics.

Walmart thinks the drive-in series might stick around for a while. The retailer has an application pending with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to trademark the phrase “Walmart Drive-in.” Walmart filed the request on July 28. Holly Lar, an intellectual property lawyer in Walmart’s legal department, is the attorney of record.