AdWords Trademark Policy (Part 1 of 2)

Every now and again we receive questions regarding how trademarked terms are handled for AdWords ads. Most of the questions can be divided into two categories – questions asked by trademark owners and questions asked by advertisers trying to use a trademarked term in ad text or keyword lists.

In part one of this two part series, we will answer a few of the more common questions asked by trademark owners.

How do I prevent unauthorized advertisers from using my trademarked term(s) in their ad text and keywords?
Google AdWords has a trademark complaint procedure in place to help trademark owners monitor the use of their trademarked terms by AdWords advertisers. The trademark complaint procedure varies depending upon where the trademark owner has trademark rights. Please note the two procedures below:

• Trademark rights in the US and/or Canada:
  Keywords – we do not investigate trademark terms as keywords
  Ad text – we are able to investigate the use of a trademark in ad text
  

• Trademark rights outside the US and/or Canada:
  Keywords – we are able to investigate trademark terms as keywords
  Ad text – we are able to investigate the use of a trademark in ad text
  

Once a trademark complaint has been filed and approved by our Trademark team, ads and/or keywords containing the trademark in question may be disapproved depending upon the parameters of the complaint.

To file a complaint or to review more information, please use these links:

• AdWords Trademark Complaint Procedure - Trademark rights in US & Canada
• AdWords Trademark Complaint Procedure - Trademark rights outside US & Canada
• Trademark complaint form

NOTE: You do not need to be an AdWords advertiser in order to submit a trademark complaint.

How do I add authorized users, or advertisers that I have approved to use my trademarked term in their ads, to my trademark complaint?

Towards the end of the trademark complaint form, you'll see a section where you can list the “Authorized Entities” you've approved to use your trademarked term(s). Fill in this section and the Trademark team will note these entities during the ad review process. If you do not specifically list authorized users (by either their AdWords Customer ID or their AdWords contact email address), authorized entities may be disapproved for using your trademark term(s).

If you've already filed a complaint and would like to add (or delete) an authorized user, please send either an email to ads-trademarks@google.com (if you are the original complainant only) or a signed letter on company stationary (address and fax information below) to the Trademark team. Please be sure to include the following information:

1. An explicit statement authorizing the authorized entity to use the trademarked term

2. The authorized entity's AdWords customer ID or login email address

Address and fax information:

Google Inc.
Attn: Google AdWords, Trademark Complaints
1600 Amphitheatre Parkway
Mountain View, CA 94043

Fax number: 650-649-1774
Attn: Google Trademark Complaints

This concludes part one of the AdWords Trademark Policy series. Stay tuned for part two, in which we'll answer common questions asked by advertisers trying to use a trademarked term in ad text or keyword lists.

Posted by Judy, Inside AdWords crew