Slashdot Mirror
GEICO vs Google Ads: Google Wins
abertoll writes "A federal judge decided that Google is able to sell ads under the GEICO trademark, claiming that this is fair use of the trademark. GEICO's contention was that competing insurance companies were using the name GEICO under which to buy Google Ads, so that when someone searches for GEICO, their ad would come up."
I didn't save 15%.
In fact it cost me thousands.
Find a real insurance company; one that follows the laws of your state and doesn't give you the runaround.
IMHO, GEICO is the worst. I had insurance with them when I first got my license, and the rates were absolutely brutal. They wouldn't insure me as an independent driver, and insisted on conjoining my insurance with both parents' accounts. I moved to a different state for college (a legal change of residence) and they wouldn't un-tether me from the folk's policy because I was a student. It was fscked. I got away from them as fast as possible. In retrospect, it's clear that they did this in order to jack all family members' rates when one had an accident. I got away from them prior to my sister having a fander-bender - which promptly caused the family premiums to skyrocket.
While I recognize that GEICO needs to defend it's trademark or risk losing it, I have to believe that the company officers are resorting to litigation in defense of a poorly-crafted business model. Sueing the search engine because someone else mis-used the trademark? That'd be like sueing a golf club manufacturer because someone whacked a ball through my window.