The infusion of Māori language, imagery and culture into trademark applications has been the latest trend in New Zealand. The number of national filings containing Māori words has seen a drastic increase over the past few years. It becomes the responsibility of the Māori Trademarks Advisory Committee (MTAC) to gatekeep...

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The infusion of Māori language, imagery and culture into trademark applications has been the latest trend in New Zealand. The number of national filings containing Māori words has seen a drastic increase over the past few years. It becomes the responsibility of the Māori Trademarks Advisory Committee (MTAC) to gatekeep the usage of Māori words or imagery in the marks, ensuring they are being applied appropriately. More guidance will be released by the MTAC and the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand (IPONZ) to cater for those seeking to protect marks that comprise or contain elements of Māori culture.

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