Stephen Rebikoff

Two Italian cheese consortiums have failed in separate bids to trade mark their respective cheeses, Gorgonzola and Asiago, with delegates ruling the trade marks were not capable of distinguishing each consortium’s products from other cheeses.

Rival firms Apple Inc and Swatch AG have both failed in their opposition to the other’s trade mark extension application, with a delegate for the trade marks office allowing Apple’s Tick Different and Swatch’s Think Different to proceed to registration in Australia.

The maker of the Yellow Pages and White Pages directories, Sensis, has won its IP case against a direct marketing company, with a judge ruling the rival’s Senses Direct mark was deceptively similar to its mark, both visually and aurally.