Google's new trademark policy - what does it mean to affiliates

[Sam_Behar]

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Morning all,

Here at Locker Room Media we were very interested to receive the trademark policy changes that Google announced yesterday. What do you think this means for affiliates? Is there a new opportunity here for affiliates to occupy PPC positions on brand terms to help brand owners push out competition?? Let us know your thoughts - the release is below for you all to read:


We are writing to inform you of an upcoming change to Google AdWords trademark policy. This change may affect how we handle the trademark complaint you currently have on file with Google.
In an effort to provide more relevant results and a higher quality experience for our users, we will be adjusting our trademark policy in the UK, Ireland, and Canada to allow some ads to use trademarks in the ad text. From 14 September 2010, ads which meet the below criteria will not be removed for trademark policy if they include a trademark in the ad text. The ads will have limited serving, showing only in the UK, Ireland, Canada, and the US (where the policy already exists). Ads which may show with a trademark in the ad text include:

• 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:
o 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.
o 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.
o 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.

This change will affect all ads in the UK, Ireland, and Canada.
Complaints received prior to 14 September 2010 will continue to be processed under the current procedure; however, any investigation of ad text in the UK, Ireland, or Canada completed prior to 14 September 2010 will be subject to this policy update on 14 September.

To learn more about this trademark policy revision, visit: http://adwords.google.com/support/aw/bin/answer.py?answer=186124
If you wish to update the parameters of your complaint because of this change, please visit our trademark complaint procedure page: https://services.google.com/inquiry/aw_tmcomplaint

GET IN TOUCH FOR ANY HELP OR COMMENTS ON THIS WITH:

sam behar
account director
locker room media
www.lockerroomuk.com
0208 780 4375 / sam@lockerroomuk.com

or

duncan connal
associate director
locker room media
www.lockerroomuk.com
0208 780 4368 / duncan@lockerroomuk.com

[shane8960]

"The advertiser's site must sell (or clearly facilitate the sale of) the goods or services corresponding to a trademark term."

Looks good for affiliates!