Trade mark trends in Australia.

IP Australia recently released its Australian IP Report for 2024, which covers various trends and statistics regarding registered intellectual property rights in Australia for the previous year.

According to the report, Australia saw significant growth in applications for trade marks in 2023. Businesses of all sizes – from multinational corporations to local sole traders – are proactively investing in registered trade mark protection for their brand assets.

Often reflective of entrepreneurial activity, trade mark filings are a leading economic indicator and provide an indication of where the economy is headed. In fact, a recent IP Australia study estimates that a 1% increase in GDP is linked to a 1.4% increase in trade mark filings¹.

Key trends and takeaways

More trade mark filings
The increase in the number of trade mark applications in Australia in 2023 compared to the previous year indicates that businesses are very interested in creating and protecting their brands and logos.

Local business activity
Australian businesses also applied for more trade marks, with a 9.8% increase in local applications, reaching a total of 49,036 filings. Small and medium-sized businesses were especially active, making up 73.7% of these applications. New South Wales and Victoria had the most applications.

Exporting brands: Australian businesses are also looking beyond their home market. The main countries they are targeting with their trade marks are the USA, New Zealand, China, the UK, and the EU.

Interest from China
The United States was the largest foreign contributor, followed by China and the United Kingdom. Notably, there was a 51% increase in trade mark filings from China into Australia, demonstrating that Chinese businesses are increasingly interested in the Australian market.

Popular sectors for trade mark filings
Trade mark class applications often reflect where Australians are spending the most money. According to the Report, the top 5 trade mark classes that had the most filings in 2023 were:

• Technology and electrical equipment
• Advertising
• Education, training and entertainment
• Scientific and technological services
• Clothing, footwear, and headgear.

The category with the most growth was ‘household or kitchen utensils and containers’, which saw a 28% increase.

What this means for your business

Be strategic
If you are building a brand, it’s crucial to have a strategy for filing and searching trade marks. Knowing these trends can help you navigate the intellectual property landscape in Australia and internationally. Whether you’re a local business or an international company looking at the Australian market, these insights can guide your strategy for protecting and growing your brand.

Recognise the value
The Report shows a strong interest in trade marks, with many more filings from both Australian and international businesses. The data shows that businesses and innovators are increasingly prioritising the protection of their brands as valuable assets.

Plan of attack
These are encouraging signs, particularly in our highly competitive and volatile global marketplace. It shows that businesses are protecting their valuable assets by registering trade marks. As companies keep investing in their brands, having a plan for trade mark protection is more important than ever.

Contact us

For expert legal guidance on trade mark searching, filing, prosecution, management or enforcement, contact our experienced team of trade mark lawyers.