Mark of the trade

Mark of the trade

A recent search through some archive boxes produced an interesting fact regarding the Lemons with a Twist® trademark.

This search through the history of the SGLBA on the approach to the association’s 30th anniversary brought to light that the SGLBA holds the oldest trademark in the world for ‘Lemons with a Twist’.

Lemons with a Twist® is Sydney’s must-attend monthly networking and social catch-up for Sydney’s professional gay and lesbian community.

A quick search on the net finds that Lemons with a Twist is also “a yummy way to use your preserved lemons with couscous” (Jane Crosland’s Southern Highlands recipe). For an unsuspecting jam and preserve fan, the result of confusing the two could be disastrous (or delightful).

Many businesses overlook the importance of trademarking when considering the protection of intellectual property. Trademarks are used to set businesses and business ideas apart. Registering a trademark gives you the right to use, license or sell a trademark in Australia for the goods and services for which it is registered.

The difference between trademarks, business, company and domain names sometimes causes confusion. Registration of a business, company or domain name does not in itself give you any proprietary rights — only a trademark can give you that kind of protection.

A trademark can be a word, phrase, letter, number, sound, smell, shape, logo, picture, aspect of packaging or a combination of these. A trademark can also protect a brand name.

An appropriate trademark should be an integral part of the marketing strategy for your goods and services. The public will identify a certain quality and image with goods and services bearing your trademark. It can become an important means of maintaining goodwill with your clients and improving your bottom line

For more information about trademarks in Australia, visit IP Australia, the body that administers Australia’s IP rights system, specifically patents, trademarks, designs and plant breeder’s rights, at www.ipaustralia.gov.au

info: Lemons With a Twist® is on Friday, May 6 at Slide, 41 Oxford St, Darlinghurst. For more information, contact SGLBA director Mary Shalala on [email protected]

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