Scotch Whisky Association v De Witt [2007] FCA 1649

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Scotch Whisky Association v De Witt [2007] FCA 1649

TRADE MARKS ‑ Opposition appeal pursuant to s 56 of the Trade Marks Act 1995 (Cth) ‑ Registered mark ‑ Deceptive similarity of marks ‑ Whether use likely to deceive or cause confusion ‑ Consumer purchasing habits ‑ Impulse buying ‑ Connotation of mark ‑ Family marks.

TRADE PRACTICES ‑ Misleading or deceptive conduct ‑ Sponsorship ‑ Origin of goods ‑ Whether use of label misleading or deceptive. Held: The respondent's GLENN OAKS mark does not contain a connotation in breach of s 43 of the Act, is not contrary to law for the purposes of s 42 and does not contravene s 60 as it is not deceptively similar to pre‑existing registered or reputable mark. Trade Marks Act 1995 (Cth), ss 10, 42, 43, 56, 60 Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth), ss 52, 53 Torpedoes Sportswear Pty Limited v Thorpedo Enterprises Pty Limited [2003] 59 IPR 318 referred to Kowa Company Ltd v N V Organon (2005) 66 IPR 131 referred to Lomas v Winton Shire Council [2002] FCAFC 413 referred to Austereo Pty Ltd v DMG Radio (Aust) Pty Ltd (2004) 61 IPR 257 referred to McCorquodale v Masterson (2004) 63 IPR 582 applied Pfizer Products Inc v Karam (2006) 70 IPR 599 referred to Shell Co of Australia Ltd v Esso Standard Oil (Aust) Ltd (1963) 109 CLR 407 applied MID Sydney Pty Ltd v Australian Tourism Co Ltd (1998) 42 IPR 561 cited CA Henschke & Co v Rosemount Estates Pty Ltd (2001) 52 IPR 42 applied Registrar of Trade Marks v Woolworths (1999) 45 IPR 411 applied Southern Cross Refrigerating Co v Toowoomba Foundry Pty Ltd (1954) 91 CLR 592 applied Coca‑Cola Co v All‑Fect Distributors Ltd (1998) 43 IPR 47 applied Australian Woollen Mills Limited v. F. S. Walton & Co Ltd (1937) 58 CLR 641 applied Berlei v Hestia Industries Ltd (1973) 129 CLR 353 cited Dunn's Trade Mark (1890) 7 RPC 311 cited Suntory Limited v Aktion Zahnfreundlich [1998] 42 IPR 593 cited Effem Foods Pty Ltd v Star‑Kist Foods, Inc [2000] 50 IPR 121 cited Johnson & Johnson v Kalnin (1993) 26 IPR 435 cited Carlton & United Breweries v Royal Crown (2001) 53 IPR 599 cited The Kendall Co v Mulsyn Paint and Chemicals (1963) 109 CLR 300 applied Green' Appn (1946) 64 RPC 14 cited Pianotist Co's Application (1906) 23 RPC 774 applied Cooper Engineering Co. Pty Ltd v Sigmund Pumps Limited (1952) 86 CLR 536 applied Renaud Cointreau & Cie v Cordon Bleu International Ltee (2001) 52 IPR 382 cited Gardenia Overseas Pty Ltd v The Garden Co Ltd (1994) 29 IPR 485 applied Wingate Marketing Pty Ltd v Levi Strauss & Co (1994) 28 IPR 193 applied McDonalds Corporation v Bellamy (2004) 62 IPR 133 cited Beck Koller & Co (1947) 64 RPC 76 applied J & J Snack Foods Corp v McDonald's Corp, 932 F 2d 1460 (Fed Cir 1991) cited American Standard Inc v Scott & Fetzer Co, 200 USPQ 457 461 (TTAB 1978) cited Powell's Trade Mark (1893) 10 RPC 195 cited Erven Warnink BV v J Townsend & Sons Hull Ltd [1980] RPC 31 referred to Taco Co (Aust) Inc v Taco Bell Pty Ltd (1982) 42 ALR 177 referred to Shanahan's Australian Law of Trade Marks & Passing Off 3rd Ed SCOTCH WHISKY ASSOCIATION v MARLON DE WITT VID 679 OF 2006