A real email from google (to me) - Google just cancelled my ads for
"trademark infringement"
Action taken: Suspended - Pending Revision
Issue(s): Ad Text Trademark Term
~~~~~~~~~
SUGGESTIONS:
->-> Ad Text: Please remove the following trademark term from your
ad: "grohe".
No surprise there. But Google seems to be endorsing PASSING OFF - that
is when you sell a branded item without saying the brand name (to avoid
price comparisons). It is common practice but VERY ILLEGAL. It is a
legal requirement when advertising ANY product to state the
manufacturer name. Google actually prohibits that being done -
obviously to stop web sales. I was told by a director at Grohe that web
sales would be stopped.
Trademarks cannot be used but the trade name can and must be used, ie a
Ford car is a Ford car. If I say it is a Smith car, that is not legal.
