Tag archives: brand protection

Unauthorized invoices – Canadian trademark owners beware

Mark Edward Davis (CA)Maneesha Gupta (CA)By Mark Edward Davis (CA) and Maneesha Gupta (CA) on Posted in Trademark
Canadians trademark owners are being targeted with misleading fee and renewal notices. As discussed previously, this is not a new phenomenon, but is one we are seeing with increasing incidence. These seemingly official invoices have caused some to pay exorbitant fees to private companies in the mistaken belief that they are paying fees required by the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO).… Continue reading

Shifting Paradigms – A new report for the future of copyright in Canada

Jordana Sanft (CA)Madeleine Hodgson (CA)By Jordana Sanft (CA) and Madeleine Hodgson (CA) on Posted in Copyright
Over the past year the House Heritage Committee has been preparing its Shifting Paradigms report which was released in May 2019. The report considers and discusses some of the current challenges and possible solutions pertaining to the ecosystem in which artists work. It also speaks to reinvigorating copyright in Canada. This report is of interest … Continue reading

Amendment to Chinese Trade Mark Law on bad faith trade mark applications with no intention to use

Justin Davidson (HK)Phoebe Poon (HK)By Justin Davidson (HK) and Phoebe Poon (HK) on Posted in Trademark
Complaints regarding the growth of bad faith trade mark applications in China have been raised for a while now.  The existing Trade Mark Law in China does not readily imply bad faith on trade mark applicants with no genuine intention to use. On 23 April 2019, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress passed … Continue reading

Canadian Trademark Oppositions – Put your best foot forward

Mark Edward Davis (CA)Maneesha Gupta (CA)By Mark Edward Davis (CA) and Maneesha Gupta (CA) on Posted in Trademark
Before a Canadian trademark is registered, it must be advertised and exposed to third-party opposition before the Canadian Trademarks Opposition Board (“TMOB”).  Procedural complexity has triggered criticism of Canadian trademark opposition proceedings as formalistic.  For example, appeals from the TMOB to the Federal Court are available as of right and it has always been a peculiar feature of … Continue reading

Ok Google, Hey Siri, Hi Alexa – have you renewed my trade mark yet?

Frances Drummond (AU)Alyson Poole (AU)Sophie Lees (AU)Rebecca Brenikov (AU)By Frances Drummond (AU), Alyson Poole (AU), Sophie Lees (AU) and Rebecca Brenikov (AU) on Posted in Trademark
With the ever increasing ubiquity of technologies improving everyday tasks in personal life, it is little wonder that such technologies are also offering efficiencies and advantages in the work context.  Phrases such as process automation, data mining, machine learning and actionable intelligence are no longer far-out themes, but instead are being used regularly (and with … Continue reading

Brexit: trademarks and designs

Clare Jackman (UK)By Clare Jackman (UK) on Posted in General
It won’t be news to you that there is still a great deal of uncertainty around Brexit and, with the March 29, 2019 looming, we do not yet know if the UK will exit in an orderly fashion (with a deal and with a transition period), obtain an extension of the negotiating period with a view to agreeing terms, crash out without a deal or, reverse the process altogether.… Continue reading

Good to know: The US trademark office has a ‘proof of use’ audit program for trademark registrations

Georgina Hey (AU)Rebecca Brenikov (AU)By Georgina Hey (AU) and Rebecca Brenikov (AU) on Posted in Trademark
The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) requires trademark owners to support their trademark registrations by providing one specimen of use per class, at both 6 years and 10 years after the trademark registration date. So, for instance, if you have a registration covering ‘clothing, footwear and headgear’ in class 25, providing the US trademark … Continue reading

Canada: Further trademark amendments are here — Bill C-86 is given Royal Assent

Amy Grenon (CA)By Amy Grenon (CA) on Posted in Copyright, Trademark
Canada’s core IP statutes have been amended by Bill C-86, which received Royal Assent as the Budget Implementation Act, 2018, No. 2, SC 2018, c 27 on December 14, 2018. The final version of the legislation includes amendments to the Trade-marks Act that are substantially identical to the version that received first reading on October … Continue reading

Are tougher days coming for approval of agribusiness certification trademarks in Australia?

Georgina Hey (AU)Amanda Caldwell (AU)By Georgina Hey (AU) and Amanda Caldwell (AU) on Posted in Advertising, Trademark
On 22 November 2018 the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) issued its initial assessment of the rules governing use of four certification trade marks in the name of OxoPak Pty Ltd, indicating its intention deny approval for the certification rules, and therefore the trade marks will be denied.… Continue reading

Australian Trademarks Law Review – Edition 2

Frances Drummond (AU)Sophie Lees (AU)Isobel Taylor (AU)By Frances Drummond (AU), Sophie Lees (AU) and Isobel Taylor (AU) on Posted in Trademark
2018 marked the publication of the first Australian Trademarks Law Review from the Law Review series. The Law Review collates cross-border legal insights and analysis across a range of practice areas and is a useful resource for in-house counsel of global organizations. Following the publishing of the first edition of the Australian chapter of 2018 … Continue reading

Recent developments for IPR protection in China

Justin Davidson (HK)By Justin Davidson (HK) on Posted in Copyright
On November 5th 2018, at the inauguration ceremony of the first-ever China International Import Expo held in Shanghai, President Xi Jinping reassured investors, especially foreign enterprises, on the administration’s determination to protect their intellectual property rights in China. In the speech, President Xi announced that in order to significantly increase the cost of infringing IPR … Continue reading

Bill C-86 — significant changes to Canada’s IP regime

Amy Grenon (CA)By Amy Grenon (CA) on Posted in Copyright, General, Trademark
The federal government’s recent omnibus budget bill, Bill C-86 tabled October 29th, 2018, proposes significant changes to Canada’s IP laws. Division 7 of the Bill is intended to implement many aspects of the government’s IP strategy announced in April 2018, and targets the Patent Act, the Trade-marks Act, and Copyright Act; provides for a new … Continue reading

No use crying over spilt (plant-based-dairy-free-alternatives-to) milk?

Georgina Hey (AU)Isobel Taylor (AU)By Georgina Hey (AU) and Isobel Taylor (AU) on Posted in Advertising
Every trendy café these days seems to have a selection of dairy-free milk alternatives as long as a wine list, from the usual suspects like soy, coconut and almond, to more unusual new favourites like rice, hemp, pea, flax and oat. With vegan, dairy-free or plant-based diets becoming more and more popular for health, environmental, … Continue reading

Amended Australian IP laws receive Royal Assent with little fanfare

Georgina Hey (AU)Isobel Taylor (AU)By Georgina Hey (AU) and Isobel Taylor (AU) on Posted in Copyright, General, Trademark
On 24 August 2018, the creatively named Intellectual Property Laws Amendment (Productivity Commission Response Part 1 and Other Measures) Bill 2018 quietly received Royal Assent, with some parts of the new Act entering into force the following day. As the name indicates, the primary focus of the new legislation is to implement the recommendations made … Continue reading

(Don’t) knock it off!

By on Posted in Counterfeiting
The prevalence of counterfeit goods in Canada reflects weak laws and almost non-existent criminal enforcement within the country, resulting in an appearance of very limited protection for the intellectual property rights of brand owners. As discussed in a recent post on the topic, Canada has once again been named to the “Priority” Watch List in … Continue reading

V Energy loses a mother of a battle over color trademark: Australia court’s decision in Frucor v Coca-Cola

Helen Macpherson (AU)Alyson Poole (AU)By Helen Macpherson (AU) and Alyson Poole (AU) on Posted in Trademark
We, as consumers, regularly associate colours with our favourite brands as we stroll down supermarket aisles and peer at billboards and banners in shopping centres.  But for brand holders, gaining protection for proprietary colours is not a walk in the (green) park.  The recent decision of Frucor Beverages Limited v The Coca-Cola Company [2018] FCA … Continue reading

Social media influencers – to “like” or not to “like?”

Frances Drummond (AU)Rebecca Brenikov (AU)By Frances Drummond (AU) and Rebecca Brenikov (AU) on Posted in Advertising, General
Today, social media influencers are a key resource used by businesses to engage with consumers. Influencers include celebrities, bloggers or simply popular social media users in speciality areas like beauty or travel. Social media influencers’ posts can attract thousands, and sometimes millions, of views and likes. Such exposure allows businesses to instantly engage with a … Continue reading
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