Trademark Restrictions in Ads & KW's

Don't we have a right to advertise that we sell these products?

[netfleet]

We are a car dealer (new and used) & one of the products we sell are Ford cars, as you'd expect.

However all of our Adwords ads that have the term 'Ford' in the ad and even the keywords that have 'Ford" in them have been banned.

Now we aren't an authorised Ford dealer as such so there's no way Ford are going to give us the explicit letter of authorisation to use the term in KWs.

However I feel this isn't right. Whether they like it or not, we sell Fords & so surely should have a right to express that.

It's like a newspaper refusing to run an ad that lists the cars we have for sale because by listing them we list brand names - of course they wouldn't!

Any thoughts?

Thanks very much

David

PS this is in Australia - not sure it applies elsewhere

[Valeri]

Same problems with laptops that branded Mac, Apple, HP, Sony and etc

[RhinoFish]

what chaps me is when repair parts for a brand name are blocked for using the brand name - especially in some cases where the brand owner doesn't provide those parts or service... seems like the balanace is against the consumer sometimes...

that balance is a hard thing to get absolutely perfect.

[bwnbwn]

If you use the term cars, used cars and broad search doesn't matter if they type ford chevy as if they put Ford used cars your ad will show.

PS if u use the {keyword} it will add whatever the search the user did as long it is within the character number so if the user searches "Ford used cars" your title will be "Ford used cars" if they search "Chevy used cars" it will be "Chevy used cars" one way to beat the cat...if the search is to long to fit it will go back to whatever your title is "All Makes Models Used New" or what u want it to read.

[netfleet]

Thanks for the replies guys.

It is tough & bwnbwn, thanks heaps for the advice & I understand what you mean but not many people use search terms like "ford used cars" - they generally wilkl search for "1998 Ford Modeo" or just "Ford Mondeo"

We certainly have 'cars' covered as a broad keyword.

I've since learnt that this situation is NOT the case in the US, Canada, Ireland & UK. Apparently TM holders have never been able to block ads in US & Canada but it was actually a recent change in Google Policy in UK & Ireland.

So would anyone have any information on what happened to prompt Google to change that restrictive policy in UK & Ireland? I suspect it would have been a disgruntled advertiser who voiced concerns & perhaps mounted some legal action that this was in breach of some Trade Practices ACT or something...