Trademark infringement lawsuits while worrisome in the short-term, is ultimately much ado about nothing.
Jeff’s World – TradeMark Infringement:
Google, Overture and the other PPC engines could quickly and easily resolve this issue; simply allow no one, including the trademark holder, to bid on restricted, or trademarked, terms. (Fair use would still apply to the vast majority of terms.) Those PPC dollars would then migrate to other terms.
Ex. 7 companies are currently bidding on the term ‘GEICO’ with a top bid of $1.21. (GEICO not being one of them) Simply shut that term off, like Google has with cigarettes, gambling, prescription drugs, etc. Then, if those companies aren’t already, they’ll bid on other terms; ‘car insurance’ (top bid $8.54) or get more creative and bid on terms such as ‘compare car insurance’; top bid $2.26 by, you guessed it, GEICO.
And, does anyone think that someone performing a search for GEICO’ isn’t ultimately going to go the GEICO site to cost compare or gather additional information?
In the long run, it may actually turn out to cost the trademark holder free branding and more money. And more money spent on PPC, is what Google and the other PPC engines really want.
That’s my 2 cents, wait make that 10 cents for my minimum bid.
About Jeff:
If you’re a regular reader of Search Engine Lowdown, you’ll no doubt have become accustomed to reading the caustic comments offered by “Jeff”. “Jeff” is actually Jeff Buechler, our Enterprise Sales Director and probably one of the most loyal readers of SEL.
We’ve decided that Jeff’s comments are far too entertaining to let languish in the world of our “comments” section and so, we are today starting a new regular irregular feature entitled, “Jeff’s World” (Jeff’s World, Jeff’s World, party-time). In this post, Jeff tackles trademark infringement.
Andy Beal is an internet marketing consultant and considered one of the world’s most respected and interactive search engine marketing experts. Andy has worked with many Fortune 1000 companies such as Motorola, CitiFinancial, Lowes, Alaska Air, DeWALT, NBC and Experian.
You can read his internet marketing blog at Marketing Pilgrim and reach him at andy.beal@gmail.com.
