In 2011, Rhythmix came to widespread media attention when the television presenter and music promoter
Simon Cowell attempted to
trademark the name
Rhythmix in relation to a
girl group that featured on the
eighth series of The X Factor. After a legal challenge, Cowell's company,
Syco, dropped the trademarking application and the group agreed to change their name to
Little Mix. In response to the
X Factor naming controversy, an online protest was launched that promoted the Nirvana single "
Smells Like Teen Spirit" to become 2011
Christmas number one in the
UK Singles Chart. This was an attempt to emulate a successful 2009
Facebook campaign that promoted
Rage Against the Machine's song "
Killing in the Name" and prevented the X Factor winner from taking the spot. The attempt failed: Little Mix got their number one the week before Christmas, and singing group Military Wives took the Christmas number one. ==References==