If you have settled on a business slogan and are attempting to trade mark it, you should consider whether it is registrable, especially if it is a derivative slogan. Using a derivative slogan can lead to unwanted legal consequences. Without taking precautions, you may be infringing on the original slogan if you decide to use […]
As you may know, different forms of intellectual property rights protect different types of material. As a general rule of thumb, a registered trade mark protects the distinguishing features of a business, whereas copyright protects original works. This article outlines the key purposes of trade marks and copyright, which can protect your picture depending on […]
Once IP Australia has approved a registered trade mark, a unique trade mark number identifies your trade mark. Therefore, you will need to identify your trade mark number in the relevant documents in the instance where you want to license, assign or renew your trade mark. This article outlines two ways to retrieve your trade […]
A great way to identify if a business name, logo or phrase is a trade mark is whether it bears the reserved symbol ‘®’ or not. However, there is no legal requirement that all registered trade marks must carry the reserved symbol, and even when the symbol is in use, there are some common mistakes […]
If you are thinking about applying for a registered trade mark, you should consider what class of goods and services your trade mark will protect. When applying for a trade mark with IP Australia, you must register a trade mark in connection with a particular class of goods or services offered by your business. You […]
Once IP Australia has advertised a trade mark application as accepted, there is a two-month window in which any third party can oppose the application. While the opposition process is relatively straightforward, it can quickly become a long and complex process if deadlines and evidentiary requirements are not met. This article outlines four tips you […]
To compete in today’s market, you must take the necessary steps to protect your business’ intellectual property – this includes protecting the name of your products. Unfortunately, as you grow your business, competitors will become more likely to steal or copy your product name. This can put your reputation and, therefore, the value of your […]
The trade mark registration process can at times be long and complex. So, naturally, a substantial amount of paperwork results from this process. For example, these documents may include your application itself, documents arising from the examination process and reminder notices of impending deadlines. Therefore, if you have a trade mark and are concerned about […]
As your business grows in both value and success, protecting your business logo becomes more important. One of the best ways to protect your business logo is to register it as a trade mark. A trade mark shows your competitors and consumers that you consider your logo a valuable part of your business – enough […]
Protecting your business’ intellectual property (IP) is a key part of your business’ success. Your brand is the very core of your business, so you must protect it. This means protecting elements of your brand with a trade mark, which provide you with exclusive rights to the use of your trade mark. The trade mark […]