Sports Warehouse, Inc v Fry Consulting Pty Ltd [2010] FCA 664

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Sports Warehouse, Inc v Fry Consulting Pty Ltd [2010] FCA 664

Citation: Sports Warehouse, Inc v Fry Consulting Pty Ltd [2010] FCA 664

Parties: SPORTS WAREHOUSE, INC v FRY CONSULTING PTY LTD (ACN 110 900 564)

File number(s): VID 197 of 2008

Judge: KENNY J

Date of judgment: 25 June 2010

Catchwords: TRADEMARKS – registration – whether mark capable of distinguishing applicant's online retail services – mark had low degree of inherent capacity to distinguish, requiring higher level of use and other circumstances to support finding that mark was capable of distinguishing applicant's services – applicant failed to establish that mark was capable of distinguishing its services

TRADEMARKS – registration – burden of proof on appeal – opposing party must establish that mark should not be registered on balance of probabilities to satisfy burden under s 41(3) – applicant has burden of establishing that mark is capable of distinguishing under s 41(5)

Legislation: Trade Marks Act 1995 (Cth) ss 7, 17, 41, 56, 197

Cases cited: Blount Inc v Registrar of Trade Marks (1998) 83 FCR 50 Chocolaterie Guylian NV v Registrar of Trade Marks (2009) 180 FCR 60 Aristoc Ltd v Rysta Ltd [1945] AC 68 The Coca-Cola Co v All-Fect Distributors Ltd (t/as Millers' Distributing Co) (1996) 47 IPR 481 E & J Gallo Winery v Lion Nathan Australia Pty Limited (2010) 265 ALR 645 Mantra Group Pty Ltd v Tailly Pty Ltd (No 2) [2010] FCA 291 Fry Consulting Pty Ltd v Sports Warehouse Inc [2008] ATMO 21 Kenman Kandy Australia Pty Ltd v Registrar of Trade Marks (2002) 122 FCR 494 Torpedoes Sportswear Pty Ltd v Thorpedo Enterprises Pty Ltd (2003) 132 FCR 326 Registrar of Trade Marks v Woolworths Ltd (1999) 93 FCR 365 Southern Cross Refrigerating Co v Toowoomba Foundry Pty Ltd (1954) 91 CLR 592 Pfizer Products Inc v Karam (2006) 70 IPR 599 Lomas v Winton Shire Council [2003] AIPC 91-839 Austereo Pty Ltd v DMG Radio (Australia) Pty Ltd (2004) 61 IPR 257 Health World Ltd v Shin-Sun Australia Pty Ltd (2005) 64 IPR 495 Kowa Company Ltd v NV Organon (2005) 66 IPR 131 F Hoffman-La Roche AG v New England Biolabs Inc (2000) 99 FCR 56 McCorquodale v Masterson (2004) 63 IPR 582 Scotch Whisky Association v De Witt (2007) 74 IPR 382 Woolworths Ltd v BP Plc (2006) 154 FCR 97 Woolworths Ltd v BP Plc (2006) 150 FCR 134 Clinique Laboratories Inc v Luxury Skin Care Brands Pty Ltd (2003) 61 IPR 130 Clark Equipment Co v Registrar of Trade Marks (1964) 111 CLR 511 Lord Parker of Waddington in Registrar of Trade Marks v W & G Du Cros Ltd [1913] AC 624 Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc v Registrar of Trade Marks (2000) 47 IPR 579 F.H. Faulding & Co Ltd v Imperial Chemical Industries &c Ltd (1965) 112 CLR 537 Mark Foy's Ltd v Davies Coop & Co Ltd (1956) 95 CLR 190 Unilever Australia Ltd v Societe Des Produits Nestlďż˝ SA (2006) 154 FCR 165 Time Warner Entertainment Company LP v Stepsam Investments Pty Ltd (2003) 134 FCR 51 Ward Group Pty Ltd v Brodie & Stone Plc (2005) 64 IPR 1 E & J Gallo Winery v Lion Nathan Australia Pty Ltd (2008) 77 IPR 69 Colorado Group Ltd v Strandbags Group Pty Ltd (2007) 74 IPR 246 CSR Ltd v Resource Capital Australia Pty Ltd (2003) 128 FCR 408 Ellerman Investments Ltd v C-Vanci (2006) 69 IPR 215 Avnet Incorporated v Isoact Limited [1998] FSR 16 Nissan Motor Co v Nissan Computer Corp 378 F3d 1002 (9th Cir. 2004) Shell Co (Aust) Ltd v Esso Standard Oil (Aust) Ltd (1963) 109 CLR 407 Link Recruitment Pty Ltd v Employment and Training Inc (2006) 69 IPR 614 The Architects (Australia) Pty Ltd t/a Architects Australia ACN 010 362 937 v Witty Consultants Pty Ltd [2002] QSC 139 WD & HO Wills (Australia) Ltd v Rothmans Ltd (1956) 1B IPR 51