As much money as Geico spends on their advertising and the little lizard, competitors SHOULDN'T be allowed to piggyback off the brand.
From AdAge.com Geico warns competitors about search ads
Following its settlement of a lawsuit against Google, Geico is sending out warning letters threatening to sue other companies that are buying its name as a search engine advertising term
The auto insurer is warning competitors that it now has grounds to take legal action against anyone who purchases the search engine term "Geico" in an attempt to get consumers to click through to a non-Geico Web site.
I see trademark owners stepping up and claiming some of the keyword "pie" that search engines have enjoyed for so long.
Here's what I'm thinking.
What if every brand or trademark owner jumps on this and goes after the search engines? Does this one event change the search engine revenue model?
I made comments about this before Give the lizard a break, and Lizard went to court, and Google being greedy
Thoughts comments?
3 comments:
Vangorilla...
As you pointed out before, it's not right that Google can direct people looking for Geico to another competitor's web site -- and profit from it. Gieco's brand recognition is being used without their consent. The brand names will begin to seize back the power with navigation.
Can Google sustain their current and future growth projections without embrassing navigation -- making it part of their site as a possible option to search?
Walden
I see the trademark owners stepping up and claiming what is ruled "theirs" now.
I also think this will have a dramatic effect on the search engine revenue model that nobody seems to recognize.
Doesn't the word eBay command more than online auction?
Geico versus car insurance. See my point?
The big question now is who gets sued and how do search results get affected?
Does Geico sue Joes Auto Insurance because he feels Geico is relevant to a search for his site?
Will Geico sue EVERYONE that bought the word Geico as a keyword?
Wouldn't THIS be an interesting question to ask John Roberts?
RE: "I've got good news,I just saved a bunch of money on my key words" --That's the good news--
Good news bad news syndrome?
And the bad news-----
Does Google lose a bunch of money
on "others" keywords?
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