Overseasidol.com — On April 8, fans of JKT48 were stirred by the discovery of a new trademark application under the name “SBY48”.
According to data from the Indonesian Intellectual Property Database (pdki-indonesia.dgip.go.id), the SBY48 trademark was officially filed on December 10, 2024, featuring a logo that bears a strong resemblance to that of JKT48.
Interestingly, the trademark was submitted by PT Ihza Integrated Consulting, a different entity from JKT48’s trademark holder, Dentsu.
Registered under number JID2024129574, the SBY48 trademark includes a complete logo and is currently under examination by the authorities.
The trademark is now undergoing a substantive review process, which typically lasts around 150 days before a decision is made on whether it will be approved or rejected.
Notably, the name SBY48 an abbreviation for Surabaya48 has been hinted at by JKT48’s management since as early as 2011.
@ameshock kita doakan dia ke sini ya 🙂 penggemarnya ya 😀 kalo JKT48 beneran dapet banyak dukungan SBY48 bisa dipertimbangkan lho…
— JKT48 (@officialJKT48) August 18, 2011
At the time, the group teased fans with the possibility of launching a local sister group in Surabaya. JKT48 has also frequently held events and temporary theater performances in Indonesia’s second-largest city.
Much like Japan’s AKB48 franchise, which has sister groups in cities such as Nagoya (SKE48), Osaka (NMB48), Hakata (HKT48), and Niigata (NGT48), the idea of establishing sister groups in other regions has long been part of the 48 Group model.
However, the recent trademark filing has left many fans curious about the company behind it. Some speculate that this move could be linked to SNH48’s rumored expansion into Indonesia through new sister groups.
SNH48, based in Shanghai, separated from the AKB48 circle and has since launched several local sister groups in China.
As of now, no official statements have been made by JKT48, AKB48, or SNH48 regarding the SBY48 trademark application.
