TOKYO – After nearly six decades as one of Japan’s most beloved snacks, Pocky’s unmistakable shape has now been officially granted trademark protection by the Japanese government.
The move comes after a 2023 survey by manufacturer Ezaki Glico, which found that over 90% of 1,036 respondents aged 16 to 79 could recognize Pocky solely by its appearance — even without packaging or branding. Encouraged by the results, Glico applied for a 3D trademark, a rare form of protection typically reserved for unique product packaging or character designs such as Coca-Cola’s contour bottle or Disney’s Mickey Mouse silhouette.
Securing a 3D trademark for a food product is notoriously challenging, as many shapes naturally result from the cooking process rather than deliberate design. However, Glico successfully convinced trademark authorities that Pocky’s long, slender, chocolate-coated biscuit stick was distinctive enough to stand on its own as a brand identifier. The trademark was officially approved on July 25, with Glico announcing the news in early August.
This protection gives Glico the right to block the sale of snacks in Japan that mimic Pocky’s precise form, although it has little influence over copycat products overseas. While Japan’s domestic market doesn’t have identical replicas, the closest alternative is Lotte’s “Toppo” — a chocolate-filled, rather than chocolate-coated, biscuit stick with a noticeably different shape.
Interestingly, the ruling may not even extend to some of Pocky’s own variations, such as the coconut flavor, whose textured coating deviates from the classic silhouette.
A Glico spokesperson stated, “We will continue to protect and utilize our trademarks appropriately to develop and nurture a brand that has been loved for so long.”
With this legal recognition, Pocky joins the ranks of uniquely shaped products in Japan that are instantly identifiable — and now, officially protected.
