They are just googling around
Posted on August 15th, 2006 by sherrilynne
Have you heard about Google’s lawyers serving writs on major media outlets that use the word google as a verb? Elinor Mills at C/net gives the details.
But really, this must be a stunt. With the verb recently listed in the Oxford English Dictionary, surely it’s way too late to stem the tide. And, forgive me if I’ve missed the fundamental principals of brand marketing, but isn’t getting your brand adopted into life’s general parlance a bit of a coup?
I guess the folks at Spam might disagree. But for Google, I think this litigation will just fan the flames. They can’t be serious.
Filed under: public relations
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Hey ‘googling’ is how I spend half my time on line. I google, therefore I am.
In IPLAW360.com they are called it “genercide” because the dictionary has introduced the term with a lowercase g. It’s a move the company is worried will send its valuable trademark in the same direction as kleenex or xerox. Better known as tradmark oblivian.
Indeed. And of course the only way to prevail in this fight is to lose market dominance. Most folks say “photocopy” now because Xerox is no longer the biggest player in the game. Whereas Kleenex is still a dominant player so we still use the mark for the generic. Catch-22.
Agreed. But it will be interesting to watch how this plays out.
[...] Just Googling around looks at protection. [...]