Gecko, Geico, all is fair in web search triggers - Ars Technica Skip to content Ars Technica home Sections Forum Subscribe Search * AI * Biz & IT * Cars * Culture * Gaming * Health * Policy * Science * Security * Space * Tech * Feature * Reviews * AI * Biz & IT * Cars * Culture * Gaming * Health * Policy * Science * Security * Space * Tech Forum Subscribe Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only Learn more Pin to story Theme * HyperLight * Day & Night * Dark * System Search Sign In Uncategorized Gecko, Geico, all is fair in web search triggers A District Court judge affirms the right to use trademarked keywords to ... Fred Locklear – Dec 16, 2004 12:02 pm | 0 Text settings Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only Learn more Minimize to nav Earlier this year, the insurance company Geico filed suit against Google and Overture over what they deemed were trademark violations in search related advertising. According to Geico, protected keywords that triggered ads for rival companies diluted their trademark and created customer confusion. If Geico prevailed, it could place a huge damper in the paid search market and create a huge trademark minefield for search companies to navigate. Overture decided to settle with Geico, while Google put their faith in the court system. On Wednesday, Google prevailed when a US District Court judge granted Google’s motion to dismiss . The judge said that "as a matter of law it is not trademark infringement to use trademarks as keywords to trigger advertising," said Michael Page, a partner at Keker & Van Nest, which represented Google. The suit is not completely over, however. The dismissal only covers the use of Geico trademarks in triggering search advertising. Another part of the lawsuit that concerns the use of Geico trademarks in rivals’ search ads is still alive, but the judge has urged the two sides to settle the dispute outside of court. In relative terms, the remaining dispute is minor to the issue that was dismissed. But, Geico would want you to think otherwise. In a tactic all to common these days, Geico glosses over the claim thrown out of court and announced victory in the shadow of stunning defeat. The use of the GEICO trademark to trigger Google paid ads that include the GEICO name violate the federal trademark laws. The judge presiding over the lawsuit filed by GEICO against Google Inc. ruled today that evidence presented by GEICO conclusively proves that such Google ads infringe GEICO’s trademarks. Of course, it is easy for Geico to claim whatever they want from a judge’s oral decision. Let’s see if they sing the same tune when the written final decision is filed by the court. Fred Locklear Fred Locklear 0 Comments Comments are closed. Prev story Next story Most Read * 1. Tesla’s Cybercab has been deployed, and it’s already under investigation * 2. German company becomes first in Europe to launch fully commercial orbital rocket * 3. Nearly impossible? How Fairphone built the ethical, repairable Fairphone Gen 6+ * 4. Farmed salmon may not be as nutritious as it once was, new research suggests * 5. OpenAI agents discussed ways to escape their sandbox on public wiki Customize Ars Technica has been separating the signal from the noise for over 25 years. With our unique combination of technical savvy and wide-ranging interest in the technological arts and sciences, Ars is the trusted source in a sea of information. After all, you don’t need to know everything, only what’s important. More from Ars * About Us * Staff Directory * Ars Newsletters * General FAQ * Posting Guidelines * AI Policy * RSS Feeds Contact * Contact us * Advertise with us * Reprints Manage Preferences © 2026 Condé Nast. All rights reserved. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Ars Technica Addendum and Your California Privacy Rights . Ars Technica may earn compensation on sales from links on this site. Read our affiliate link policy . The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Condé Nast. Ad Choices