Google to Announce Change to Their Trademark Advertising Policy

It is expect that on May 18, 2009 Google will announce a new change in how they approve/disapprove ads which use a trademark name.

Effective June 15, 2009:

• Ads which use the term in a descriptive or generic way, and not in reference to the trademark owner or the goods or services corresponding to the trademark term. 
• Ads which use the trademark in a nominative manner to refer to the trademark or its owner, specifically:  
  • Resale of the trademarked goods or services: The advertiser’s site must sell (or clearly facilitate the sale of) the goods or services corresponding to a trademark term. The landing page of the ad must clearly demonstrate that a user is able to purchase the goods or services corresponding to a trademark from the advertiser. 
  • Sale of components, replacement parts or compatible products corresponding to a trademark: The advertiser’s site must sell (or clearly facilitate the sale of) the components, replacement parts or compatible products relating to the goods or services of the trademark. The advertiser’s landing page must clearly demonstrate that a user is able to purchase the components, parts or compatible products corresponding to the trademark term from the advertiser. 
  • Informational sites: The primary purpose of the advertiser’s site must be to provide non-competitive and informative details about the goods or services corresponding to the trademark term. Additionally, the advertiser may not sell or facilitate the sale of the goods or services of a competitor of the trademark owner.

If you reread these criteria they will slowly make sense.  If examples make it easier to understand, here are some “Cans” and “Cannots”

You can now say:

·         “We Sell Sony, Samsung, LG, & Westinghouse LCD TV’s” which links to a general landing page.

·         “Newest model Sony LCD TVs on Sale” which links to a Sony LCD TV landing page.

·         “Find All Replacement Parts for Sony LCD TV’s” which links to a Sony LCD TV parts landing page.

·         “See which TV (Sony or LG) received the highest quality rating” which links to a purely informative landing page which does not facilitate the sale of one product or another.

You still cannot say:

·         “Looking for low cost Sony LCD TV’s?” which links to a LG TV landing page.

·         “LG LCD TV’s are the same Quality of Sony’s at half the price!” which links to a LG TV landing page

·         “See which TV (Sony or LG) received the highest quality rating” which links to a landing page which pushes the sale of the better performing product.

‘If you have ads in your account which were previously disapproved for trademark policy and that comply with the aforementioned criteria, you may submit those ads for re-review after May 18 and eligible ads may begin showing in the US starting June 15.’ – Google

Adwords, Creative, Google, Policy, Trademark