Google Trademarks The Word "We" - Well, Kind Of

Apr 22, 2010 - 7:42 am 0 by
Filed Under Google Ads

A WebmasterWorld thread has one advertiser reporting that Google disapproved his AdWords ad due to trademark issues. In short, this advertiser said that Google disapproved the ad because of the word "we" was being used in the ad. The reason that Google gave him for the word "we" disapproving the ad was due to trademark usage.

Sounds strange? Yes, it does. Even Google's AdWordsAdvisor representative in the forums replied that it sounded a bit off. In any event, AdWordsAdvisor recommend "to submit an exception request." A exception request can be submitted over here.

AdWordsAdvisor speculates:

All I can think of is that it might have been a request of the trademark owners of the sort of well known game with a phonetically similar name - since maybe folks use 'we' as a workaround.

Just a wild guess. But an exception request should take care of it.

The issue seems to be resolved now and if you want to use the word "we" in your ad, it should now go through.

Forum discussion at WebmasterWorld.

Update: A Google AdWords Help thread reports the same issue and they posted a screen shot to prove it. Here is that screen capture:

AdWords "we" trademark

Or here is a full size image of this issue.

 

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