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Bob Marley´s 80th birthday

"Tuff Gongs" heirs and brands

One of the world's most famous musicians would have celebrated his 80th birthday these days: Bob Marley, born on 6 February 1945 in Jamaica. More than 40 years after his untimely death, he is still one of the biggest pop stars on the planet. In those parts of the world that used to be known as the ‘Third World’, he is probably even more popular than Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson put together. And together with these two, he is one of the dead musicians with whom the most money is made.

His image is as famous and ubiquitous in pop culture as that of Che Guevara. But while the violent revolutionary Che continues to polarise people, Bob Marley is now a much-loved icon who stands for relaxed, very good music, meaningful lyrics, peacefulness and plenty of smokable herb. It is often forgotten how committed, combative and edgy Robert Nesta Marley could be.

‘Tuff Gong’ conquers the world

His fighter's heart helped him rise from a difficult background to become a global superstar. Growing up in the poorest areas of Jamaica - as a child in Nine Mile, as a teenager in the notorious Kingston neighbourhood of Trenchtown - he had to learn to assert himself. Formerly mocked as a ‘white boy’ - his father was white Jamaican and already 64 when Bob was born, while his black mother was only 18 - he earned the respectful nickname ‘Tuff Gong’ in tough Trenchtown.

The band he founded in 1963, the ‘Wailers’ (with later solo stars Bunny Wailer and Peter Tosh, among others), with whom he was to achieve world fame, long had the reputation of being a troupe of ‘rude boys’. Throughout his life, Marley remained combative and uncompromising when it came to denouncing the misery in the ghettos of his homeland and social injustice or addressing the historical crime of slavery, which is deeply rooted in Jamaica's collective (sub)consciousness.

Roots Reggae Rasta

Marley refused to put up with greedy music managers and, after initial successes and bad deals, founded his own studio and record label in 1970. It was named after his nickname: Tuff Gong (trademarks include 008269334, 008269334). This in turn referred to Leonard P. Howell, nicknamed ‘The Gong’, an influential Rastafarian priest. Marley had joined this spiritual movement in the 1960s, which was characterised by dreadlocks, the consumption of ganja and the worship of the Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie (also known as Ras Tafari).

At ‘Tuff Gong’ (address: 56 Hope Road in Kingston), he recorded hits such as ‘No Woman, No Cry’, ‘Stir It Up’, ‘Redemption Song’, ‘Buffalo Soldier’ and ‘Could You Be Loved’. Today, the recording studio has a legendary reputation and also attracts well-known international artists to record here. A pressing plant, agency, shop, Marley museum and much more have long since been added.

Many children, many more brands

The ‘Tuff Gong’ is one of a whole series of endeavours by Marley's descendants. Around a dozen heirs share the estate of Bob, who had at least eleven children (most of them out of wedlock). Marley's family built a veritable marketing empire on his legacy. One just has to look at the large number of brands registered by the family company ‘Fifty-Six Hope Road Music Limited’ (based in California) or by the ‘Robert Marley Foundation Ltd’ (Jamaica). ‘Fifty-Six Hope Road’ has registered 118 trade marks with the USPTO alone, including “House of Marley” (e.g. 018530918). The manager of this company is Bob's son Rohan. Among other things, headphones and portable speakers are sold in around 50 countries.

Of course, ‘Bob Marley’ is protected as a word mark for various classes of goods (000024794, among others). For example, there is ‘Marley Wine’ (US98866016) and ‘Marley Coffee’ - the latter with the obvious slogan ‘Stir it up’ (008260821). ‘Bob Marley's One love‘ was registered as a figurative mark for restaurants and cafés (019131624); also in the variant “Marleys” One Love Cafe’, which also applies to clothing and drinks (010920866); or ‘Marley One Love Coffeehouse’, registered for many Nice classes (011765856). The very well-stocked Bob Marley webshop contains a wealth of Marley merchandise (mainly clothing), all well protected by industrial property rights.

Of course, ‘Bob Marley’ is protected as a word mark for various classes of goods (000024794, among others). For example, there is ‘Marley Wine’ (US98866016) and ‘Marley Coffee’ - the latter with the obvious slogan ‘Stir it up’ (008260821). ‘Bob Marley's One love‘ was registered as a figurative mark for restaurants and cafés (019131624); also in the variant “Marleys” One Love Cafe’, which also applies to clothing and drinks (010920866); or ‘Marley One Love Coffeehouse’, registered for many Nice classes (011765856). The very well-stocked Bob Marley webshop contains a wealth of Marley merchandise (mainly clothing), all well protected by industrial property rights.

Marijuana in the name of the master

Another company founded by the heirs, ‘Marley Green LLC’, owns various ‘Marley Natural’ brands for smoking products (including 016051682). That fits: Apart from his ex-bandmate Peter Tosh (with his famous ‘Legalise it!’ album), there is no musician more associated with weed than Bob Marley. Relevant photos of the master still adorn every decent student kitchen in poster size. And since ‘Kaya’ (patois for ‘weed’ or marijuana) is part of the core of the ‘Bob Marley’ brand, the heirs have no inhibitions about incorporating cannabis products into their business model.

Marley's heirs are quite keen to sue when it comes to enforcing their trade mark rights. For example, oppositions were filed against the trade mark applications ‘Original MARLEY SEEDS’ (015580178) and ‘Natural Marley Spirit Cigarettes’ (012862942). Likewise against a German applicant who probably wanted to bring out a Bob Marley beer (300633610). The heirs' clan even took Bob's half-brother to court when he wanted to sell Marley products without their licence.

The many registered trademarks also include the name of Bob's son ‘Ziggy Marley’ (008625469) and the name of his mother ‘Cedella Marley Booker’(012222361). The most recent trade mark was only registered in January 2025: ‘BOB MARLEY'S ONE LOVE’ for cafés and restaurants (019131656).

At the top of the club of dead rich musicians

It is therefore not surprising that Bob Marley has been at the top of the lists of dead musicians with the highest income for years (according to Destatis, among others). ‘We believe in material and spiritual balance,’ Marley's enterprising heirs are quoted as saying. And: ‘It's always said that the Marleys will be successful because they sing about peace and love. Bollocks. We need capitalism too’ (quote from Forbes).

What would the equally spiritual and socially committed Marley have thought of the extreme commercialisation of himself? That remains pure speculation, of course. Perhaps he would have donated a lot of money to causes that were close to his heart. Or perhaps he would have bought himself a football club. Tottenham Hotspurs, for example, whose supporter the football fanatic is said to have been.

Last months at Lake Tegernsee

Bob Marley spent the last months of his short life in Bavaria. He had already been diagnosed with skin cancer in 1977. At the end of 1980, when he was told after a breakdown that there was no prospect of recovery, he sought help from the alternative therapy of a controversial doctor on Lake Tegernsee. Marley lived in Rottach-Egern for eight months, but his hopes were not realised. When his condition finally deteriorated dramatically, he wanted to return home to Jamaica to die. But he didn't make it. His situation was already very serious at the airport in Munich. His plane had to make a stopover in Miami, where he was taken to hospital and died on 11 May 1981.

One consolation is that Bob Marley will live on forever - in our hearts, not just in the many brands...

Text: Dr. Jan Björn Potthast; Pictures: Getty Images / Kirk West, DPMAregister, ETH-Bibliothek Zürich Bildarchiv Fotograf Luethy Patrick Com_l29-0351 CC by-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Last updated: 28 January 2025