ATMOSS: The Australian Trade Mark Database

15th September 2020 - Sveth Milanes

The primary function of a trade mark is to designate the origin of products and services so that your customers can reliably find products and services. A business, whether it be for products, for services, or both, needs to have a name because it is a sign as to how we identify a brand. Of […]

IP Report 2020 on Trade Mark Filing Statistics in Australia and Overseas

6th September 2020 - Jax Floro

A trade mark is a way for customers to recognize your unique product or service from your competitors. A trade mark is not just ‘a logo’, it is your brand. It can be in the form of a letter, word, phrase, number, sound, shape, smell, logo, movement, picture, aspect of packaging, or a combination of […]

U.S. Supreme Court Overturns USPTO Trade Mark Refusal Against Booking.com

28th August 2020 - Jill Junio

Booking.com is an Amsterdam based digital travel company that provides online hotel and travel reservation services. It also maintains the same domain name for its website. About a decade ago, Booking.com filed trademark applications for four marks, each with distinct designs but all containing the term “Booking.com”. Unfortunately, the USPTO Examination Attorney refused the applications […]

Vodka Wars: KWM, SPI Group Wins Long-Running Stolichnaya Trade Mark Case

21st February 2020 - SVETH MILANES

King & Wood Mallesons, in a 15-year trade mark case, has successfully defended its client, SPI Group (‘SPI’) in relation to ownership of the Stolichnaya brand name in Australia. The proceedings concerned the ownership of trade marks of the well-known brands of the Russian vodka including the famous Stolichnaya trade mark. The proceedings commenced in […]

How Much does it Cost to Register a Trade Mark in Australia?

29th January 2020 - Sveth Milanes

Trade marks play a vital role in your business. A trade mark is a sign that identifies your business as the provider of goods or services in the market. IP is a valuable business asset in the online world. It is up to you to identify your IP assets and stop others from using your […]

Trade Mark Symbols and How to Use Them

23rd December 2019 - Sveth Milanes

Using trade mark symbols is important to help identify your mark as being owned by you. It is not a requirement to use trade mark symbols in connection with your brand but it put competitors on notice that you take your intellectual property rights seriously and will enforce those rights. The ®, ™ and SM […]

Trade Mark Question: Can the word “Zero” be exclusively owned by one or by none?

12th November 2019 - Mary Dizon

The Coca-Cola Company (Coca-Cola) has been a globally known beverage corporation for over a century now. Its success greatly depends on the legal protection of its brand names through global trade mark filing and brand strategies. In the mid-2000s, however, Coca-Cola’s competitor, Royal Crown Cola Co. (RC Cola) initiated a trade mark battle when RC […]

How long does it take to register a trademark in Australia?

1st November 2019 - Jax Floro

Although you are keen to start your new business, at the outset you should start the process to register a trade mark to protect your brand name. With the expansion of the Internet and global commerce, trade marks have taken on a highly valuable significance. Trade marks are registered in respect of specified goods or […]

The Difference Between a Business Name and a Trade Mark

11th October 2019 - Sveth Milanes

A business name and a trade mark have different purposes, although they are both important when it comes to your business! All businesses need to have a business name, but not all are required to obtain a trade mark. A Business Name is used to identify a business while a Trade Mark legally protects your […]

How to Register a Trade Mark in Australia

26th September 2019 - Sveth Milanes

An important step for any business is to assess their intellectual property assets. Intellectual property should be included in your business plan including how you plan to protect and manage it. What is a trade mark? A trade mark is a right granted for a word, slogan, logo, picture, shape, colour, sound, scent or any […]

Trade Marks