You can't register a trade mark if it's not distinctive. The person in charge of registering trade marks (called the Commissioner) has some rules they must follow. They can't register something that isn't actually a trade mark. They also can't register a trade mark that doesn't stand out or is too common.

The Commissioner won't register a trade mark if it only uses signs or words that just describe the product or service. For example, if it only tells you what kind of thing it is, how good it is, how much of it there is, what it's for, how much it costs, where it comes from, or when it was made. They also won't register a trade mark if it only uses words or signs that everyone already uses when they talk about that kind of product or service.

But there's an exception. Even if a trade mark seems too common or not distinctive enough, the Commissioner might still register it. This can happen if, before someone applied to register it, the trade mark became distinctive because of how it was used or for other reasons.