United Breweries trademark iconic Kingfisher jingle ‘ Oo la la la le o’ 

MUMBAI: United Breweries Limited, part of the Heineken group, has secured trademark registration for the iconic Kingfisher jingle Oo la la la le o, formally recognising a sonic asset embedded in the brand’s identity for nearly three decades.

With the registration, United Breweries becomes the first company in India’s alcoholic beverages category to obtain legal protection for a sonic trademark. It is also the only packaged drinking water manufacturer in the country to hold such a registered sound mark with strong consumer recall.

Introduced in 1996, the jingle has been used consistently for close to 30 years, developing an unmistakable association with the Kingfisher brand. Its distinctive tune has long functioned as a trademark in practice, now formally acknowledged as one in law.

The move underscores the growing importance of non-visual brand assets, as companies increasingly seek to protect sound, memory and emotion as part of their intellectual property portfolios in a crowded, multisensory marketing landscape.

United Breweries chief marketing officer Vikram Bahl, said the jingle was a rare brand asset that transcended words and visuals. Sonic identity, he added, had become a powerful way for brands to connect emotionally with consumers, and trademarking the jingle ensured long-term protection of a core element of Kingfisher’s personality.

Over time, the tune has evolved beyond conventional advertising to become a cultural cue. It has recently been reimagined through collaborations with music artists and integrated into platforms such as the Women’s Premier League, helping the brand stay relevant with younger audiences while retaining its legacy appeal.

United Breweries chief legal officer Neha Munjral, said the jingle had an immediate association with Kingfisher even without verbal brand cues, making it a quintessential trademark. Decades of continuous use, she said, had built significant goodwill around the asset, now secured through formal registration.

By trademarking the jingle, United Breweries has converted a familiar tune into a legally protected brand asset, strengthening its intellectual property rights as it continues to evolve its marketing playbook.