Using the word "Google" in product names? legal issue or not?

22 replies
Hey warriors,

Im going to be releasing two products in the coming weeks however had a backtracking thought!

One Product is going to be viral and will spread around the internet marketing community and other similar community's who are interested in getting their websites to the top of google easily and will spread quickly. Plus it will be free so spread even quicker.

Now the second product is a bit more tricky and where i think if there is a problem then it will be here.... it will be paid and i think if i don't settle in using the RAP affiliate system then i will be using clickbank to sell it. This one may or may not be a success but will be upsells of alot of my future products including the free one. Im devoting alot of time to it and hoping that it will sell like hot cakes before they go cold. It already has a track record of selling with the simple version but the updated brand spanking new version will be amazing plus i already have people ready to promote it for me.

My problem is both of the names for them include the word "google" in the product names. Now im not going to be using their logo and if i was i can just mix up the colours and use it like that.

But im not sure if im allowed to use the word 'google' or if its copyrighted so that no one else apart from google can use it.

If i was doing a product just as a wso and not expecting it so sell thousands then i wouldnt be too bothered. But since im going all out on both of these i really want to stay within the law and not have to change its brand name afterwards.

If anyone has any input on this or can suggest me any alternatives to the word 'google' then thats great!

(Oh and the google pay day cpa offers are kinda widespread and yet don't seem to have a problem using the word google in them which ultimatly keeps them converting well).

Thanks
Tom Brite
#google #issue #legal #names #product #word
  • Profile picture of the author tessmac9708
    We all know the brand that Google has become, but the word "Google" is actually a generic term for certain amount of 000's and therefore exists as a word in its own right.

    Graham
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    • Profile picture of the author Tom Brite
      Originally Posted by tessmac9708 View Post

      We all know the brand that Google has become, but the word "Google" is actually a generic term for certain amount of 000's and therefore exists as a word in its own right.

      Graham
      Ah yes i forgot about that!

      In actual fact it was the million pound question on 'who wants to be a millionair' many years ago! How could i have forgot!

      So that means its its free to be used by anyone! However then if i refer to it as such content as the search engine itself seeing as the products are about the search engine then is that still okay as they cant have copyrighted the name but just trhe logo associated with it?

      Thanks
      Tom Brite
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  • Profile picture of the author andymurray
    Graham I think you mean 'Googol'.
    googol: Definition from Answers.com

    Andy
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    • Profile picture of the author EricThor
      Google must vigorously defend any intellectual property rights the government has awarded them like copyrights, trademarks, patents, etc or a court might be convinced that they care less about them and anyone can use the name Google for all kinds of things. (I'm not a lawyer but have been served with nasty letters for this kind of thing)

      They should send you a nasty letter demanding the infringement stop.

      Will they? You tell us....
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  • Profile picture of the author tessmac9708
    Hi Andy

    Yes you're quite correct.....would you be my "Phone a Friend"

    Sorry Tom

    Graham
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  • Profile picture of the author Will Edwards
    With the Caveat that I am not a lawyer, I would advise you not to do it. Just because other people have got away with using Google, eBay and similar does not mean to say that you will get away with it.

    Google is a registered Trade Mark - that's why is has the little TM in the logo. There is no question that they could get your domain and products shut down if they wanted to, so why take the risk?

    Cheers

    Will
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  • Profile picture of the author tessmac9708
    Hi Tom

    Could you use googol instead..just a thought.

    Graham
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  • Profile picture of the author Mukul Verma
    I would talk to WF Member 'Jay Deiboldt' who has googleslapper and get his opinion, since he has done what you are doing.

    I got contacted by Video Professor for Video Professor Reviews and all I am doing in being an affiliate to there product,

    This was 5 months ago, they asked me to sell the domain name for a dollar before discussing the matter. I suggested to discuss before signing anything. They said legal would be in touch and I have not heard anything since then.
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    • Profile picture of the author SiteLabs
      I would seriously try to stay away from using any registered trademarks in product names and URL's jsut to be safe, while it may never arise as a problem, if it does then all your hard work and branding will be lost and you are back to where you started. I too have recieved take down notices from various companies for using their names in URL's not even in a product name. For an easy life i would suggest using a non controversial product name, this doesnt stop you using the term in your salescopy though.
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  • Profile picture of the author MisterMunch
    If you want to use a company name as part of a company name carrying a product that is designed to teach people how to "fool" the company you are stealing the name from, the world most powerfull online company might not be the smartes one to mess with.

    I would go deep and try to figure out a new name for the products.
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    • Profile picture of the author Tom Brite
      Originally Posted by mikeyman120 View Post

      I don't know about google but I used ebay in 2 domain names and ebay contacted me and wanted me to let the domains expire and not renew it or they would take action they said.

      But there are a bunch of clickbank products with google in the domain and product name. Don't know if its legal though.

      Mike
      That's exactly why im asking. Other people seem to be able to use it fine so i figured i could too, but then thought i should ask other people first!

      Originally Posted by Will Edwards View Post

      With the Caveat that I am not a lawyer, I would advise you not to do it. Just because other people have got away with using Google, eBay and similar does not mean to say that you will get away with it.

      Google is a registered Trade Mark - that's why is has the little TM in the logo. There is no question that they could get your domain and products shut down if they wanted to, so why take the risk?

      Cheers

      Will
      Yes but i wondered if only the google logo was the registered trademark and not the name, or if anyone was able to use the name etc etc etc?

      Originally Posted by tessmac9708 View Post

      Hi Tom

      Could you use googol instead..just a thought.

      Graham
      Not really! I thought about it but mis-spelling it on purpose is just stupid and looks stupid too!

      Maybe making a new word like GoolgeX or something might be a way to approach it??

      Originally Posted by Mukul Verma View Post

      I would talk to WF Member 'Jay Deiboldt' who has googleslapper and get his opinion, since he has done what you are doing.

      I got contacted by Video Professor for Video Professor Reviews and all I am doing in being an affiliate to there product,

      This was 5 months ago, they asked me to sell the domain name for a dollar before discussing the matter. I suggested to discuss before signing anything. They said legal would be in touch and I have not heard anything since then.
      Ok i will contact that guy thanks for the link to his profile rathert than me looking all over for him!

      Yeah if google was a small company i wouldnt see a problem... but they arn't!

      Originally Posted by SiteLabs View Post

      I would seriously try to stay away from using any registered trademarks in product names and URL's jsut to be safe, while it may never arise as a problem, if it does then all your hard work and branding will be lost and you are back to where you started. I too have recieved take down notices from various companies for using their names in URL's not even in a product name. For an easy life i would suggest using a non controversial product name, this doesnt stop you using the term in your salescopy though.
      Yeah i can use it in my sales copy but the product name is really what i want to use it in!

      Originally Posted by MisterMunch View Post

      If you want to use a company name as part of a company name carrying a product that is designed to teach people how to "fool" the company you are stealing the name from, the world most powerfull online company might not be the smartes one to mess with.

      I would go deep and try to figure out a new name for the products.
      Its not how to foll the company at all and doesnt harm the company one bit... the methods are all whitehat too!

      Tom Brite
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      • Profile picture of the author Eric Lorence
        Or you could use "YAGIMP" ... truth is, Ive seen so many "Google" branded products out there, another one probably won't make a difference.

        Kind of like B-Hat being pasted to everything these days...

        As a matter of fact, there are now so many, they are mostly ignored unless the creator has a "name" already.

        "Yet Another Google Internet Marketing Product" ...
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        • Profile picture of the author Tom Brite
          Originally Posted by DogScout View Post

          Click the link on 'Google'
          I did but have already seen it a long time ago sorry!

          Originally Posted by Eric Lorence View Post

          Or you could use "YAGIMP" ... truth is, Ive seen so many "Google" branded products out there, another one probably won't make a difference.

          Kind of like B-Hat being pasted to everything these days...

          As a matter of fact, there are now so many, they are mostly ignored unless the creator has a "name" already.

          "Yet Another Google Internet Marketing Product" ...
          YAGIMP LOL i would have people spelling it in all sorts of variations until they got it right!

          Yeah there are alot of google marketing products out there too... still room for one more though

          Thanks
          Tom Brite
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  • Profile picture of the author BrainDance
    I own LearnGoogle.com (for sale) I contacted google a year ago asking if it would be a problem for me to develop the site with tips,etc and they never got back to me. I just wrote again to see what happens.
    I owned some great domain names related to skype before skype got big, their attorney contacted me with the usual infringement issues, I said I wanted compensation for the domainnames and ended up making 250 from a 34.00 investment. Which could have been more in the long run, but also could have cost me a lot more!
    Don't let them intimidate you.
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    I am taking on only ecover design work for the next 90 days. Rates are 47.00 for single cover, discounts for multiple..just ask! No payment until completed.
    http://www.d27portfolio.com for sample works
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  • Profile picture of the author Mukul Verma
    Here is another idea. I am assuming you are going after search engines if you are using Google. Make your title generic like 'Search Engine Slapper' or 'Web Slapper' or 'Search Slapper' or something like that, I aint the create name type (Jay, if you read this, sorry brofor picking on your name, but hey it is free publicity, hahaahha )
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  • Profile picture of the author DogScout
    if the product is a parody of Google, you could claim 'fair use'.

    Google
    Otherwise...
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