Trade Fair as a keyword

trademark question

[spaidermen]

If I participate to a trade fair can I use the name of the fair as a keyword?

[Webwork]

You would be better served directing this question to the trademark holder (if the trade fair name is trademarked) than directing it to a group of webmasters, even if some of us also practice law.

If we all say "it's okay" will that be a defense to a trademark infringement lawsuit? Don't think so.

If the potential trademark holder says "it's okay, but do it this way" does that sound like a defense? Much more likely to avoid trouble.

Jeff Esq.

[AdWordsAdvisor]

I'd say that the above is excellent advice, and well worth doing if you can have their contact information - as I imagine you do.

However, based on what you've said, I suspect it would be OK to use. If the keyword is one for which the trademark owner has already contacted Google, to prevent others from advertising on it, then your ad would simply not show for the keyword in question.

Or if the trademark owner sees your ad, and has an issue with your using the trademark as a keyword, he or she can certainly contact Google to request that you (and others) not be allowed to use it.

[hobbnet]

Yea, AWA stole my response before I could post it...

I would just include the keyword and let it ride until google takes it down due to a complaint.

[spaidermen]

Thank you. Actually I did some research and found many using trade fairs' names even without participating in it. That is a different matter though.