Don't Step on Trademarks Using Google Adwords

I subscribe to a great affiliate marketing print magazine called Revenue. This month's issue published some interesting surveys. I know lots of us of here pay for Google AdWords campaigns.... or Yahoo/Overture, etc.

Lots more companies are getting very picky about the use of their trademarked terms by affiliates.

on the statement:
We essentially outsource our search engine marketing to our affiliates, and we give them free reign with trademarks and branded terms.

January 2006 50% of 776 affiliate merchants agreed. In August, 2006 that dropped to 29%

on the statement:
We don't allow our affiliates to use our trademarks or branded terms in their search engine marketing
January 2006 21% of 776 affiliate merchants agreed In August, 2006 that increased to 39%

Smithers, release..... the attorneys.

http://www.labnet.com/oldthink/new2/burns.jpg

Steve

and what do they claim is the reason for the abrupt changes?

It's because, I would assume, that companies want to control the uses of their brands. I happen to think that companies who are less control tops over this end up having more efefctive affiliates in the long run.

It's like when I promote certain studios. Some studios let me use a tiny handful of very small photos with their watermark everywhere. Others... give me latitude to pick photos I think will sell their films just right off their website, and they aren't marked up to death with their studio name. Some are smaller studios who appreciate any kind of promotion, but some big gun California studios are easy to work with in this regard too.

I think it's a control thing. (not implying that's a positive or a negative)

Steve

Well that could be, but was wondering why suddenly they became control freaks... I mean one year they seem for it, then suddenly not, so am curious to find out why... but certainly an interesting take.