By Julius Melnitzer | February 10, 2026
“Many business owners believe that having a company name, a domain name, and/or a trading name provides them with the exclusive right to promote their brand. But only trademark registration affords the legal right to a brand name.” — Binh Rey
IPH Limited is an intellectual property (IP) services network of global IP firms like no other in the world. No surprise, then, that the network’s Applied Marks trademark applications platform, which facilitates the trademark application process in Australia, is also unlike its competitors.
“I’m passionate about service, so just because we’re online doesn’t mean you can’t reach us,” says Binh Rey, the Melbourne-based managing director of Applied Marks. “Unlike other online trademark registration companies, we are based in Australia, service local business owners, respond to email and phone queries within 24 to 48 hours, and avoid legal jargon. We’re here to help.”
Efficient, accessible trademark service
IPH purchased Applied Marks in 2021, 13 years after its founding. Rey, who comes from a small business background, has 15 years’ brand marketing and 14 years’ trademark experience, and became a registered attorney in 2019, joining Applied Marks in 2023. Among her first initiatives was to ensure that the company’s phone number and email address were prominent on the website, so that clients could reach the firm with ease.
“My goal was to continue to provide a cost-effective, value-added service that featured attractive fees for small and medium-sized business owners and startups who couldn’t afford to hire full-service IP firms,” Rey says. “Our basic package, which we call Do It Yourself [DIY] offers registration for one trademark in one class for about 40 percent of the cost at full-service firms.”
Partnering with technology to benefit clients
The New Year brings exciting developments for Applied Marks.
The first is the full-scale launch of a new AI-powered system trade mark application platform for the DIY package, one developed by attorneys with trademark registration expertise.
The new system allows clients to register trademarks under different ownership structures, including partnerships, and trustees on behalf of a trust. Previously, only individuals and company structures were available on the DIY platform.
The DIY platform is geared to small and medium enterprises wanting an easy solution for help with their brand protection strategy. Clients know what their costs are upfront, and it’s ideal for those businesses that can’t afford to engage large law firms.
Rey is adamant that more sophisticated automation will not detract from customer service. She has introduced two new service packages for clients are not wanting to “do it yourself”, but who require some help at an affordable price without breaking the bank. The new packages have led Applied Marks to attract clients who need brand audits because they are unsure of what they need to protect their brands.
“Although the new technology is more intuitive and easier to use, which means DIY customers won’t have to ring us as frequently, we have not modified our belief in great customer service,” Rey says. “We submit 100 to 120 trade marks monthly with a small team, and we service every one of our clients.”
The second development is the continuation of a successful partnership with Thomson Reuters’ Cleardocs, an Australian online legal document platform that boasts 100,000 users and uses guided forms to let small and medium-sized businesses, accountants and lawyers create company, trust, self-managed super funds, and employment documents.
The partnership allows Cleardocs customers to access trademark applications directly with Cleardocs, subject to review by Applied Marks.
“Cleardocs has partnered with Applied Marks to provide trademark expertise to their clients,” Rey says.
Trademarks – a powerful brand protector
During her years in the business, Rey has observed that many small business owners and startups underestimate or misconceive the power of trademark registration.
“Many business owners believe that having a company name, a domain name, and/or a trading name provides them with the right to promote their brand,” she says. “But only trademark registration affords the legal right to a brand name. Many business owners don’t know they need a trademark, and don’t check for trademarks when choosing a brand. That’s why our slogan is, ‘Protect your brand. Protect your success’.”
Small businesses who have used a trademark legitimately and registered it first can block much larger enterprises from using the brand name in Australia.
Rey cites no less an example than Burger King. When the multinational sought to enter the Australian market in the early 1970s, it discovered that a little Adelaide takeaway shop already held the “Burger King” trademark. That forced Burger King to register “Hungry Jack’s”, but continue to use the existing Burger King visual branding for the new name.
“Trademark registration protects the small firms from being bullied by the big firms if there is a brand dispute”, Rey says.
But because the Australian trademark process can take up to eight months, with standard applications usually examined at the four-month mark, businesses inexperienced with trademark registration could be wasting valuable time and money if their application is not approved.
“They’d have to start all over again with a new application,” Rey says.
Trademark protection tailored to you
Applied Marks offers clients three packages for one trademark in one class protection:
- Do It Yourself, priced at AUD $795, marketed as a “3-step process for a start-up budget”, includes AI-assisted trademark application;
- Need a Little Help, priced at AUD $1,595, which features applications drafted and reviewed by a trademark attorney, a free trademark search, and a dedicated account manager; and
- Done For You, priced at AUD $2,000, which includes an application for an expedited examination, a free trademark search and brand audit, a dedicated trademark attorney, and a “future proofing” review of trademark ownership.
“The Need a Little Help package is for clients who have questions like what kind of entity should own the trademark, or into which class it fits,” Rey explains. “Done for You is for clients who don’t even want to fill out a form and want us to tell them what they should trademark.”
The Need a Little Help and Done for You options provide valuable feedback from Applied Marks regarding the trade marketability of the client’s brand name.
“The client can then choose to proceed or not, or go back to the drawing board to find a new brand name before they launch,” Rey says.
Client story: Party Onbici
By way of example, Rey cites Applied Marks’ experience with Party Onbici, a global active‑transport platform that blends community‑organised group rides with real‑time mobility analytics, helping cities measure and grow cycling participation while building a recognisable, trusted brand around safe, social, data‑driven riding.
“The company operates in Australia but is looking to expand to Brazil and Italy, so trademark protection plays a critical role in safeguarding its name, visual identity, and event formats,” Rey says.
The client started with a DIY package. But when Applied Marks discovered that BIKE PARTY, the name the client wanted, had already been registered, Anthony Joseph, the venture’s founder, promptly upgraded his package to Done For You.
“This allowed us to help guide Anthony to a new name, something that is often required because it’s difficult for an entrepreneur or start-up to navigate through what makes a brand unique in Australia,” Rey says.
Applied Marks brainstormed new names with the client, investigated the trade marketability both in Australia and overseas, and confirmed that no other companies within the industry were using the brand name finally chosen.
And, should complications require resort to a full-service law firm, Applied Marks, as an IPH network member, is well-placed to make appropriate recommendations if desired by the client.
Julius Melnitzer is a Toronto-based legal affairs writer, ghostwriter, writing coach and media trainer. Readers can reach him at julius@legalwriter.net or on his website.