Holiday season is just around the corner and presents are slowly starting to pile up. The wrapped boxes all look the same and it’s impossible to tell what’s inside. But if you saw a little robin’s-egg blue box, would you recognize where it came from? Chances are you would, as this iconic blue box from Tiffany and Co. is definitely one of the most well-known trademarks.
The Emblematic Little Blue Box
The Tiffany and Co. jewelry store was founded in New York in 1837 by Charles Lewis Tiffany and has come to represent style and sophistication, thanks in part to the movieBreakfast at Tiffany’sstarring Audrey Hepburn.
A few years after its opening, the jewelry store began packaging its products in robin’s-egg blue boxes. It was an instant hit, so much that some customers would come into the store only hoping to leave with a blue box. And, just like that, the box became the company’s main trademark.
As a matter of fact, the colour of the boxes alone is now so famous that consumers can easily tell where the source of the products inside of it. Furthermore, in 1998, the distinctive colour of the packaging was added to the Pantone colour chart. The custom colour Pantone created for Tiffany and Co. is called “1837 Blue”, referring to the company’s founding date.
Tiffany and Co. has also made sure to protect its trademark in many jurisdictions, including the United States, where several types of robin’s-egg blue packaging have been registered as marks, such as boxes and bags. In Canada, the famous box is also covered by a non-traditional trademark registration, which protects the colour positioning of the robin’s-egg blue and the white colours as applied to a box and a ribbon. Canada allows non-traditional trademark registrations, which also include sounds, textures, scents, tastes and colours.
A Trademark That Creates Value
Two years ago, LVMH Group, a world leader in the luxury goods industry, bought the New York jewelry company for around $15 billion. That same year, Brand Finance, an independent consulting firm, valued the company’s intellectual property assets at $5.8 billion. Undoubtedly, the little blue box’s value as a trademark played a key role in this transaction.
It may not be your company name or your slogan that will become your most important brand. Perhaps a colour, a particular sign or the way your products are packaged will be what sets you apart from your competitors in the marketplace, just like Tiffany and Co.
For more information, you can contactour trademark teamwho will be pleased to guide you through the identification, protection and registration of your trademarks.
FAQs
The Emblematic Little Blue Box
What is the significance of the Tiffany Blue box? ›
True to the founder's vision, the Tiffany Blue Box® is as much an icon of luxury and exclusivity as it was a century ago. As The New York Sun reported in 1906, “[Charles Lewis] Tiffany has one thing in stock that you cannot buy of him for as much money as you may offer; he will only give it to you.
What is the little blue box from Tiffany and Co? ›
Carefully tied in a bow, it unfurls with one gentle pull to reveal the extraordinary Tiffany & Co. piece within. Widely regarded as the most recognizable and coveted packaging in the world, the Blue Box is only available with a purchase at Tiffany & Co., a tradition that dates to our founder.
When did Tiffany and Co start using blue boxes? ›
Though it's assumed the blue colour was chosen to reflect the popularity of turquoise jewelry at the time, nobody knows the absolute truth of that colour choice. But, that light blue colour is so iconic that it was trademarked in 1998.
Will Tiffany give you a box? ›
All Tiffany.com purchases arrive in the signature Tiffany Blue Box, tied with a white satin ribbon. At the checkout process you will have the option of writing a gift message for each item in your order which will arrive with your gift package, enclosed in a white envelope.
Why is Tiffany Blue trademarked? ›
The color was used on the cover of Tiffany's Blue Book, first published in 1845. Since then, Tiffany & Co. has used the color extensively on promotional materials like boxes and bags. Since 1998, the Tiffany Blue color has been registered as a color trademark by Tiffany & Co.
What was the purpose of the blue box? ›
A blue box is an electronic device that produces tones used to generate the in-band signaling tones formerly used within the North American long-distance telephone network to send line status and called number information over voice circuits.
What does Tiffany Blue symbolize? ›
What does Tiffany Blue symbolize? Tiffany Blue epitomizes elegance, luxury, and the thrill of uncovering something exquisite and rare. This distinctive shade, rooted in the Tiffany & Co. identity, has become a cultural symbol of sophisticated luxury and unparalleled quality.
What is the story behind Tiffany and Co.? ›
The store initially sold a wide variety of stationery items and, as of 1837, operated as "Tiffany, Young and Ellis" at 259 Broadway in Lower Manhattan. The name was shortened to Tiffany & Company in 1853, when Charles Tiffany took control and established the firm's emphasis on jewelry.
What is the story behind the please return to Tiffany and Co? ›
1966. The Return to Tiffany® key ring debuts. Each one sold was assigned a serial number and registered so that if lost, it could be returned to the Tiffany flagship store on Fifth Avenue and reunited with its owner. The iconic design goes on to inspire one of Tiffany's best-selling collections worldwide.
Tiffany & Co.'s reimagined World's Fair Necklace was unveiled in Dubai today and is estimated to be worth between $20 million and $30 million.
Does Tiffany ship in a blue box? ›
We understand how special your purchase is, and that's why all Tiffany & Co. purchases arrive in unmarked packaging to protect your privacy. Inside this package, your Tiffany engagement ring is wrapped in the legendary Tiffany Blue Box®, tied with a white ribbon.
What is the color code for Tiffany blue? ›
The Tiffany blue HEX code picker is #81D8D0. This is the cyan-like creamy blue made famous by Tiffany & Co.
What is the significance of Tiffany's in Breakfast at Tiffany's? ›
Tiffany's becomes a stand-in for Holly's sense of safety and belonging, representing a home that she yearns for throughout the course of the novella. The materiality of idealizing a fancy store contrasts with the yearning emotion Holly connects with it.
What is the color code for Tiffany and Co boxes? ›
The Tiffany blue HEX code picker is #81D8D0. This is the cyan-like creamy blue made famous by Tiffany & Co. jewelry boxes. The color Tiffany blue can be achieved in a RGB space with 129 red, 216 green, and 208 blue.
Are Tiffany boxes valuable? ›
In general, a Tiffany & Co. box is worth about $50 to $75, depending on what's included and what kind of shape it's in. This might seem like a lot for an empty box, but you have to remember why it's valuable: these blue boxes symbolize luxury.
