Cadbury wins ownership of Pantone 2685C purple

We're used to brands owning their logos and slogans but now Cadbury has gone a step further and patented the colour purple on their wrappers, officially known as Pantone 2685C. There's no real cause to panic, however, as the patent only applies to chocolate bars and drinks. You're still allowed to wear your purple trousers. For the time being. In 49 BC only Julius Caesar was allowed to wear a purple toga in Rome; if an ordinary citizen wore one, they'd be executed.

Purple has long had connotations with power and royalty, something Cadbury always wanted to exploit, claiming eating their chocolate was a 'rich and indulgent experience'. Though it's often scoffed at by chocolate aficionados as not being real chocolate, Cadbury has always been my choice of chocolate bar.

Update: A year later in October 2013, Cadbury lost its right to trademark the colour.