Google Ads' Revised Trademark Policy: What You Need to Know

Google Ads' Revised Trademark Policy: What You Need to Know Google Ads' Revised Trademark Policy

Google Ads is making significant changes to its trademark policy, effective from July 24, 2023. Trademark complaints will be processed against specific ads or advertisers, not entire industries.

[{"selector":"#anim-74248323-d0d2-4e98-81fc-9c5720e04aef","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1ab798f7-31c4-40d4-afad-52991573c8bd","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-10bdad5a-4ce8-49d8-9484-268f52c562e3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-80880962-ed8e-4066-8318-cee4b9631197","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 121.27220%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Advertisers can bid on trademarked keywords, but using competitor trademarks in ad copy remains prohibited. Prominent brands face extra administrative work.

[{"selector":"#anim-d3429bef-8a62-47c1-ba7a-7f139703b5fd","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9d21f8a1-7274-4d83-93c4-af60204da002","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 175.70441%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b796fe9e-e0af-4204-923e-0e166495b3d1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-04291fd0-b0e3-4c0c-be86-0c6e73c7db87","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Google emailed advertisers regarding trademark complaints, informing them about upcoming policy updates that will gradually phase in and remove previous restrictions in 12-18 months.

[{"selector":"#anim-f766a054-5ae7-4d05-8672-fb026c19a6b1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5b6da9d9-dc75-47ac-b7da-f9e230dc5c37","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 123.94235%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d0a1ff53-dbdc-4c51-8b71-0021246e9bc3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-16f5104a-df19-44bf-8ace-400c66eb4b8f","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Prominent brands brace for more administrative work under the new policy, as limitations on using trademark terms persist until complaints are filed.

[{"selector":"#anim-c987506a-5dae-41e6-8495-6eb248327fa4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fbe3ed6c-9fa0-4404-91f2-fc28bd8a9bb3","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 172.19121%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e01128c7-ed47-4e56-8582-41e2a6f7314d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-79cbf6af-bba4-489e-89ee-e0edce3833e9","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]