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Decrypting Crypto Art: Is it a fad or is it here to stay?
Sharon Givoni Consulting Copyright, Intellectual Property, Trade marks
Since its very beginning, the rise of new digital technologies such as blockchain have made all of us sit up in our seats and wonder – what does this mean for us and our daily lives? Nowhere is this more true than the recent explosion of Non-Fungible Tokens (or ‘NFTs’) in the digital art world. […]
Same Same, but Different Different
Sharon Givoni Consulting Intellectual Property, Trade marks
Can two businesses use the same Brand Name? You have started a company under a snazzy brand name, but a google search shows that the name has already been in use by another company – and they’ve trademarked it. So the big question is, can two businesses use an identical brand name? Many of you […]
Fun and Games! The Huge Success of Danger Dolan
Sharon Givoni Consulting Copyright, Intellectual Property, Trade marks
The Rise of Danger Dolan Many years ago, one of our clients, Daniel James Johnson, created the concept of Danger Dolan. From then Planet Dolan was formed which turned into an assortment of YouTube channels that focus on either “Top X” list styled videos (Planet Dolan), “Question and Answer” videos and music videos (Super Planet […]
Plain Packaging and Tobacco – We’ve Got It Covered
Sharon Givoni Consulting Consumer Law, Trade marks
Plain Packaging and Tobacco Australia’s law goes much further than the advertising bans and graphic health warnings seen in other countries when it comes to plain packaging and tobacco. Plain packaging and tobacco refer to packaging that requires the removal of branding. It bans distinctive logos and distinctive-coloured cigarette packaging in favour of drab brown packets […]
David vs Goliath: Trade mark battle with ZARA
Sharon Givoni Consulting Intellectual Property, Trade marks
ZARA vs ZARY On the 19th of April 2018, Sharon Givoni was interviewed for A Current Affair over a trade mark battle with ZARA. As you would all know, ZARA is possibly one of the largest fashion distributors in the world, selling clothing, accessories and the like. ZARA also owns several trade marks for the […]
Replica furniture – is it legal?
Sharon Givoni Consulting Copyright, Intellectual Property, Protecting ideas, Trade marks
Unsurprisingly, the growth of replica furniture industry has grown over the years. An example of this is the replicas of the Tolix chair, which was designed by Xavier Pauchard, in 1934 in France. In light of this clients often ask us: is it legal to copy a furniture design? We have covered the issue of copycat products here. […]
BRANDING LAWS PACKAGED AND GIFT-WRAPPED
Sharon Givoni Consulting Intellectual Property, Packaging, Protecting ideas, Trade marks
Only a century ago, the attraction of consumer products was in their practical application. Soap, for example, was originally packaged in anonymous greyish bars and purchased by consumers purely for its cleaning attributes. Now, soap promises so much more – it exfoliates and softens, refreshes and revitalises (Norsca), doubles up as a “beauty aid” (Dove) […]
Close your eyes, and give me the coke bottle
Sharon Givoni Consulting Consumer Law, Food Law, Intellectual Property, Packaging, Protecting ideas, Trade marks
How to avoid legal issues when it comes to packaging Attention all packaging designers, this is for you. Before you launch your new product with shiny new packaging, it is important to consider whether you could be infringing someone else’s trade mark rights, engaging in misleading or deceptive conduct or passing off. In Australia, aspects […]
Granola
Sharon Givoni Consulting Food Law, Intellectual Property, Trade marks
Ordinary language or protected trade mark – are you doing the right thing? There is a famous quote that imitation is the greatest form of flattery. True as that might be – this is the last thing you want when it comes to your own brand. We use phrases all the time and don’t think […]
Branding law: Milked to the Max
Sharon Givoni Consulting Food Law, Trade marks
Long gone are the good old days where milk is delivered by horse and cart in unbranded foil top bottles. Today we have brands – and lots of them. Given that brands are the main differentiating feature of fast moving, low involvement products such as food, this article looks at how best to legally protect […]