The FCA in Australian Postal Corporation v Digital Post Australia Pty Ltd (No 2) [2012] FCA 862 had correctly found that 'Digital Post Australia' and 'www.digitalpostaustralia.com.au' were not deceptively similar to Australia Post's registered trade marks.
Having compared the two marks visually and aurally and considered the relevant surrounding circumstances, I do not consider that there is a real, tangible danger of deception or confusion occurring as a consequence of DPA adopting the mark DIGITAL POST AUSTRALIA. I do not believe that the ordinary consumer might be caused to wonder whether the digital mail services proposed to be operated by DPA come from the same source as the digital mail services proposed to be offered by Australia Post. The ordinary consumer would not entertain a reasonable doubt about the matter.
The addition of the prefix “DIGITAL” and the different order of the words “POST” and “AUSTRALIA” in DPA’s mark are sufficient to avoid deception or confusion. The marks are visually and aurally distinct. They also convey different ideas to the consumer. The case of Health World Ltd v Shin-Sun Australia Pty Ltd [2005] FCA 5; (2005) 64 IPR 495 is instructive in this context. In that matter, Cooper J considered whether the marks HEALTHPLUS and INNER HEALTH PLUS were deceptively similar. As in this case, a descriptive word (“INNER”) had been added to prefix another existing two word mark (“HEALTH PLUS”). His Honour considered that the addition of the first word resulted in a substantial difference in meaning between the two marks. His Honour held there was no deceptive similarity even though the order of the second two words was not reversed. Jacobson J compared the marks again in Health World Ltd v Shin Sun Australia Pty Ltd [2008] FCA 100; (2008) 75 IPR 478 at [138] and found that:
the impression that the person of ordinary intelligence and memory would have of the Inner Health Plus mark is that of the dominant name and phrase, Inner Health...No such impression is created by the look or appearance of the trade mark HealthPlus...[which] is concerned with general health and well-being.
Similarly in this case, the essential element of DPA’s mark is the composite phrase “Digital Post” which conveys the idea of mail delivered in a digital form. The phrase “POST AUSTRALIA” which reverses “AUSTRALIA POST” in DPA’s mark would convey little meaning to the ordinary consumer in the absence of the preceding word.
The lack of deceptive similarity in the present case is even more apparent when one considers the surrounding circumstances which the Court must take into account. As Windeyer J said in Shell at 416:
the deceptiveness that is contemplated must result from similarity; but the likelihood of deception must be judged not by the degree of similarity alone, but by the effect of that similarity in all the circumstances.
The trade marks will be used in connection with digital mail services. Australia Post has a statutory monopoly over the delivery of letters and parcels. It is not yet associated in the minds of potential customers with the provision of digital mail. The potential audience for digital mail services is likely to be technologically competent and internet savvy. Members of that class will almost certainly be careful and astute in their selection of a digital mail service. Even in the context of a trade mark dispute concerning gourmet cheese, Middleton J in Yarra Valley Dairy Pty Ltd v Lemnos Foods Pty Ltd & Another [2010] FCA 1367; (2010) 191 FCR 297 considered at [278] that consumers were likely to:
at least take some care in choosing the product they intend to purchase. The consumer of this type of product is likely to be astute as to the characteristics of the product, and discerning in his or her purchasing habits.
It is difficult to imagine that anyone who is competent with computer technology will have any doubt that Digital Post Australia is separate and distinct from Australia Post. Although the name AUSTRALIA POST is entirely descriptive of its mail delivery services, it has become distinctive and iconic though extensive and prolonged use. In such circumstances, potential consumers of digital post services will perceive and pay attention to even slight changes to the mark. I find that the mark DIGITAL POST AUSTRALIA is not deceptively similar to the mark AUSTRALIA POST.
