Use of GEICO Trademarks in Google Ads Violates Law

Use of GEICO Trademarks in Google Ads Violates Law

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- The use of the GEICO trademark to trigger Google paid ads that include the GEICO name violate the federal trademark laws. The judge presiding over the lawsuit filed by GEICO against Google Inc. ruled today that evidence presented by GEICO conclusively proves that such Google ads infringe GEICO's trademarks.

The decision today by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema in an oral decision, to be followed by a written opinion, also found that GEICO has not presented sufficient evidence in this case for her to conclude that Google paid ads not containing the GEICO trademark, resulting from the use of GEICO as a search term, violate the trademark laws.

The decision today left open the issue of whether the sale of GEICO's trademarks by Google or any other search engine, in and of itself, violates the trademark laws or other laws.

"GEICO will continue to aggressively enforce its trademark rights against purchasers of its trademark on search engines and against search engines that continue to sell its trademarks," said GEICO General Counsel Charles Davies.

GEICO (Government Employees Insurance Company) is the fifth-largest private passenger auto insurer in the United States. It provides auto insurance coverage for more than 6 million policyholders and insures more than 9.5 million vehicles. GEICO uses television, radio, print media and direct mail to attract customers to call its 1-800-841-3000 number and to its www.geico.com Web site, and keeps its rates low by dealing directly with the customer. GEICO offers sales and claim services 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information, go to http://www.geico.com/.


Source: GEICO

CONTACT: Charles D. Ossola of Arnold & Porter, +1-202-942-5075

Web site: http://www.geico.com/


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