Australia's favourite trade mark: the short list
Many prestigious and well know Australian trade marks were assessed as part of IP Australia’s Trade Marks’ Centenary celebrations, and judges Siimon Reynolds, Carla Zampatti, Ken Done and George Gregan had a tough task to choose a top 10. |
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The judges agreed that the ABC television trade mark was one of the most popular. According to John Woodward, ABC’s Head of Corporate Marketing, the ABC logo has been synonymous with quality and independence in the minds of Australians for almost 75 years. He says it remains today one of Australia’s most loved and cherished brands. George Gregan agrees. “This is a terrific trade mark,” he says. “It says everything about Aunty in a really clever design that has endured over so many years. The ABC has kept the mark modern and relevant with a few updates over the years, but its essence has never changed.”
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Arnott’s, another Australian icon, registered its famous parrot as a trade mark in 1907, and legend has it that William Arnott’s daughter-in-law, Mrs Leslie Arnott, first drew the bird that appears on everything from biscuits to trucks. “The parrot is one of Australia's most recognised and loved brands,’ says Arnotts Marketing Director, Lucie Austin. ‘For nearly 100 years, it has stood for the company's commitment that 'there is no substitute for quality”. Ken Done says he can’t remember a time when Arnott’s biscuits haven’t been a part of his household. “Arnott’s has been a big part of every Aussie’s life,” he says. |
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Retailer David Jones is not only Australia’s oldest department store, it is the oldest department store in the world still trading under its original name. Mr David Jones, a Welsh-born immigrant with a mission to sell “a stock that embraces the everyday wants of mankind at large”, founded it in 1838. David Jones General Manager, Corporate Affairs and Communications, Helen Karlis says it is an iconic brand treasured and loved by Australians. Siimon Reynolds agrees, and chooses the trade mark because it is unique and fits with the store’s brand image. “It is made for the audience.”
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For over 160 years, Penfolds has been a producer of remarkable wines. The brand has a great tradition of innovation that has resulted in international acclaim for both its winemakers and its wines. “It is one of Australia’s oldest and most trusted wine companies that is famous for its reliable and prestige red wines including arguably Australia’s most famous, Grange Hermitage,” says Carla Zampatti. |
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“Seeing the flying kangaroo and the red and white tail when I’m overseas always makes me think of home and proud to be Australian,” says Ken Done. “A view of those tails lined up at an airport makes me yearn to travel.” The famous Qantas kangaroo, instantly recognised all over the world as an Australian emblem, represents a proud history focused on reliability, engineering excellence and customer service. The brand elicits a strong emotional response from millions of Australians, even those who don’t fly.
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The R.M.Williams company was established in Australia in 1932 and since then, the signature R.M.Williams and its famous Longhorn trade mark have become locally and internationally recognised as a mark of quality. Carla Zampatti says the trade mark is an Aussie favourite. “It’s the true son of the outback and is synonymous with the Australian outback image.”
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Vegemite dates back to 1922 when the Fred Walker company, which became Kraft Walker Foods in 1926 and Kraft Foods Limited in 1950, hired a young chemist to develop a spread from one of the richest known natural sources of the vitamin B group – brewers yeast. Ever since World War II, Australian troops have depended on Vegemite for a taste of home and you’ll find jars and tubes of Vegemite with Aussie backpackers and travellers the world over. “Vegemite is a classic Australian success story and one that I think every Aussie relates to,” says George Gregan. “It just reminds me of what being Australian is all about.”
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“The Wallabies are one of the world’s dominant rugby union teams with an instantly recognisable and well loved identity,” says Ken Done. “Seeing the green and gold as they run onto the field always fills me with pride.” And millions of Australians agree. The Wallabies remain the game’s most potent brand identity and the Wallabies emblem is instantly recognisable by sports fans around the world. The mark represents Australian Rugby’s participation, power and prowess on the global sports stage and is a great source of pride for millions.
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“I think just about every Australian kid has grown up on Weet-Bix,” says George Gregan. “It’s certainly embedded in our culture and is instantly recognisable as a great Australian product.” Sanitarium’s original wheat biscuit, Granose, was marketed in Australia and New Zealand during the 1900s, not only as a breakfast cereal but also as an alternative to bread. During the 1920s, Sanitarium faced a challenge to Granose from a new flake biscuit called Weet-Bix, which was produced by a company called Grain Products. In 1930, Sanitarium acquired Grain Products and made Weet-Bix on its own.
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The Woolmark brand is not only one of the world’s great brands, but a trust mark recognised by over two billion consumers globally says Executive Director of The Woolmark Company Brenda McGahan. It is used the world over to provide consumer confidence and trust on over 500 million new, wool and related wool care products each year. “This is a great trade mark. It makes me think of the land and Australian wool growers, but also of the high standards of Australian fashion garments,” says Carla Zampatti. “Our wool products have also earned an exceptional international reputation for high quality.”
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