McCormick & Company Inc v McCormick [2000] FCA 1335

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

McCormick & Company Inc v McCormick [2000] FCA 1335

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY – Trade marks – registration – application for registration of word marks "mccormick's" and "mccormick's instant batter simply add water" covering instant batter mix – marks deceptively similar to opponent's registered trade marks – whether instant batter and goods the subject of opponent's trade marks (including herbs, spices and seasonings) "goods of the same description" within meaning of s 14(1) of Trade Marks Act 1995 (Cth) – whether honest concurrent use of trade marks established for purposes of s 44(3) – whether geographic limitation on registration should be imposed – where initial use honest – where significant sales outside of Queensland before application filed not shown – where real likelihood of confusion – exercise of discretion under s 44(3) would result in registration under honest concurrent use in Queensland but not other states – discussion of applicant's alleged media campaign against opponent and opponent's alleged acquiescence in applicant's use of mark INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY – Trade marks – opposition – whether opponent's marks had acquired a reputation for purposes of s 60 – nature of evidence required to show reputation considered – evidence of substantial sales, advertising and promotion sufficient to infer reputation – whether s 60 grounds for opposition subject to honest concurrent use exception – opposition successful EVIDENCE – Expert opinion – whether evidence from Australian and North American chefs about composition, function and effect of batter relevant – evidence admitted – whether applicant qualified under s 79 of Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) to give expert opinion about relationship between relevant goods – applicant only qualified to give opinion about effect of own product WORDS & PHRASES – "reputation" Trade Marks Act 1995 (Cth) ss 6, 14(1), 44(1), 44(3), 60 Evidence Act 1995 (Cth), ss 76, 79, 144 Trade Marks Act 1955 (Cth) McCormick & Company Inc v McCormick (1998) 42 IPR 515 reversed In Re Jellinek's Application (1946) 63 RPC 59 cited In Re John Crowther & Sons (Milnsbridge) Ltd's Application (1948) 65 RPC 369 cited In Re Frank George Whiting's Application (1952) 69 RPC 219 cited Reckitt & Colman (Australia) Ltd v Boden (1945) 70 CLR 84 cited Southern Cross Refrigerating Co v Toowoomba Foundry Pty Ltd (1954) 91 CLR 592 applied In Re J & J Colman Ltd's Application (1929) 46 RPC 126 referred G Wood, Son & Co Ltd v McVitty & Co Pty Ltd (1964) 34 AOJP 2601 referred In Re Chan Li Chai Medical Factory (HK) Ltd's Application (1990) 90 IPR 140 referred Rowntree plc v Rollbits Pty Ltd (1988) 10 IPR 539 cited Dinning v New Balance Athletic Shoe Inc (1992) AIPC 38719 cited Browne v Dunn (1894) 6 R 67 (HL) mentioned NMFM Property Pty Ltd v Citibank Ltd [No 7] (1999) 161 ALR 576 referred O'Brian v Gillespie (1996) 41 NSWLR 549 referred In Re Alex Pirie & Sons Ltd's Application (1932) 49 RPC 195; 49 RPC 210; (1933) 50 RPC 147 applied In Re John Fitton & Co Ltd's Application (1949) 66 RPC 110 cited Stingray Surf Co Pty Ltd v Lister (1997) 37 IPR 306 cited In Re Electrix Ltd's Application [1957] RPC 369 at 379 cited In Re Simac S p A Macchine Alimentari's Application (1987) 10 IPR 81 cited Aromas Pty Ltd v Aroma Coffee & Tea Co Pty Ltd (1997) 40 IPR 75 cited Trepper v Miss Selfridge Ltd (1991) 23 IPR 335 cited In Re Parkington & Co Ltd's Application (1946) 63 RPC 171 referred Baume & Co Ltd v Moore (A H) Ltd [1958] RPC 226 cited Joseph Rodgers & Sons Ltd v W N Rodgers & Co (1924) 41 RPC 277 cited In Re 'Buler' Trade Mark [1975] RPC 275 referred Jean Patou Parfumeur v Crisena Corp Pty Ltd (1990) 20 IPR 660 referred Emdon Investments Pty Ltd v Shell International Petroleum Co Ltd (1988) 12 IPR 525 referred No Name Restaurants Pty Ltd v No Name Restaurants (Cesare) Pty Ltd (1996) 36 IPR 488 referred Bali Trade Mark (No 2) [1978] FSR 193 cited Johnson & Johnson v S C Johnson & Son Inc (1984) 3 IPR 429 referred Canon Kabushiki Kaisha v Brook (1994) 30 IPR 525 referred In Re Burcombe & Co Ltd's Application (1948) 65 RPC 179 distinguished Harkianakis v Skalkos (1997) 42 NSWLR 22 cited Clarkson The Mandarin Club Ltd (1998) 90 FCR 354 cited Crescendo Management Pty Ltd v Westpac Banking Corporation (1988) 19 NSWLR 40 cited Equiticorp Finance Ltd (in liq) v Bank of New Zealand (1993) 32 NSWLR 50 cited Electrolux Ltd v Electrix Ltd (1953) 70 RPC 127; 71 RPC 23 referred ConAgra Inc v McCain Foods (Aust) Pty Ltd (1992) 33 FCR 302 applied Hugo Boss AG v Jackson International Trading Co Kurt D Bruhl GmbH & Co KG (1999) 47 IPR 423 applied Isuzu-General Motors Australia Ltd v Jackeroo World Pty Ltd (1999) 47 IPR 198 referred Marks & Spencer plc v Effem Foods Pty Ltd (2000) AIPC ¶91-560 referred Photo Disc Inc v Gibson (1998) 42 IPR 473 referred RS Components Ltd v Holophane Corp (1999) 46 IPR 451 referred Toddler Kindy Gymbaroo Pty Ltd v Gymboree Pty Ltd [2000] FCA 618 referred Nettlefold Advertising Pty Ltd v Nettlefold Signs Pty Ltd (1997) 38 IPR 495 referred Lee v Korean Air Lines Co Ltd (2000) AIPC ¶91-557 distinguished Winglide Pty Ltd v Corporate Express Inc (1999) 46 IPR 627 distinguished Aktion Zahnfreundlich v Suntory Ltd (1998) 42 IPR 593 distinguished Somers v Greenbelt Pacific Pty Ltd (1998) 42 IPR 587 distinguished Clissold v Amalgamated Television Services Pty Ltd (2000) AIPC ¶91-566 distinguished New South Wales Dairy Corporation v Murray Goulburn Co-Operative Company Ltd (1990) 171 CLR 363 considered/distinguished Carnival Cruise Lines Inc v Sitmar Cruises Ltd (1994) 120 ALR 495 referred Registrar of Trade Marks v Woolworths Ltd (1999) 93 FCR 365 referred Janice Luck, "Distinctiveness, Deceptive and Confusing Marks under the Trade Marks Act 1995" (1996) 7 Australian Intellectual Property Journal 97 McCORMICK & COMPANY, INCORPORATED v MARY McCORMICK VG 240 of 1998 KENNY J MELBOURNE 15 SEPTEMBER 2000