“The decision was made more as a business strategic decision than a human decision.”
A trademark dispute involving the phrase “Hot Girls Read” has sparked widespread debate across BookTok and the wider online reading community. The dispute began after Allie Rose Co.a small company known for its book-themed merchandise, announced that it had successfully trademarked the phrase for use on specific products.
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While the company described trademark as a milestone for its brand, many readers and content creators argued that “Hot Girls Read” had already become a widely used slogan across social media long before the registration was approved. The discussion spread quickly TikTokInstagram, Redditand Threadwhere users weigh whether a phrase commonly associated with reading culture should belong to a single company.
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Who Branded ‘Hot Girls Read’?
Allie Rose Co. is a small business founded by graphic designer and content creator Allie Rose, whose real name is Allie Mitrovich. The company sells book-themed merchandise, including bookmarks, clothing, stationery and reading accessories. The controversy began after the company announced it had secured a trademark for “Hot Girls Read.” In a now-deleted Instagram post, Allie Rose described Co. the phrase as an important part of the brand’s growth and identity.
The company later clarified that the trademark applies to specific product categories, including bookmarks, stickers, book covers, notepads, T-shirts, sweatshirts and hoodies. It also asked companies selling products containing the phrase to remove those listings.
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Why are readers upset about the brand?
The announcement quickly triggered backlash across the board BookTokReddit, Threads and Instagram. Many readers claimed that “Hot Girls Read” had already become a common phrase in the online reading community long before the trademark was approved. Critics pointed to examples they believe predate Allie Rose Co.’s use of the slogan.
According to Marie Claire Australiasocial media users resurfaced posts containing variations of the phrase dating back to 2009, 2010 and 2011.
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Others argued that the phrase became popular through years of use by readers, book clubs, influencers, and content creators rather than a single company. Some also linked it to the wider “Hot Girl” movement that gained popularity online in the late 2010s.
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The controversy has also raised concerns among owners of small businesses that sell reading-themed merchandise. Because the trademark applies to certain categories of products, some readers worried that sellers could be asked to remove items containing the phrase from their stores.
As the debate continued, the discussion expanded beyond the Allie Rose Co. itself. Many readers used the situation to debate larger issues of trademark community-driven phrases and whether widespread internet terms should be controlled by a single brand.
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After days of backlash, Allie Rose shared an Instagram video announcing the trademark was filed. “I want to say that I am so sorry to all the small businesses that I have harmed by doing this,” she said. Allie added that “the decision was made more as a business strategy decision than a human decision” and acknowledged that it had been “totally wrong” on her part.
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In the video, Allie said paperwork had already been filed to give up the trademark, though she noted the process would take time to appear in official records. She also denied allegations that she had personally sent cease-and-desist notices or Etsy removal requests to companies selling “Hot Girls Read” merchandise.
The creator added that profits from her remaining “Hot Girls Read” products would be donated to the literacy-focused charities Room to Read and Read and Feed. She ended the video by apologizing again, saying that the community matters more than the brand itself.
Although the trademark only applies to specific products and does not prevent people from using the phrase in everyday conversation, the controversy remains one of the biggest discussions in the BookTok community, although the trademark is now being abandoned.
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