Relax: Google Is Joking About the Verb Thing
You peeps gotta relax. So yeah, Google's lawyers sent letters to media companies saying hey, Google isn't really a verb. But Google had to send those letters as part of its responsibility to its own brand. It's just establishing a precedent in case its trademark faces a real legal challenge. By sending the letters, it can subsequently say, "See your honor, we've heretofore taken all necessary steps to protect the brand." But do you think Google is really concerned? Puh-lease. Nobody uses "I googled that hottie" in official correspondence, unless it's a send-up. Just ask Google CEO Eric Schmidt. In a press briefing last week at SES, Schmidt said that the company sent a "humorous letter" to the Oxford English Dictionary reminding them how the word Google should be used. I mean, really: If tall-and-starchy can chuckle at this, so can you. Just remember: Ubiquity is the new exclusivity. p.s. Yeah, I know trademarks are expensive things that need to be protected. But brands aren't worth what they used to be worth, and the brands that have the most equity are also victims of genericide. Here's a good list of proprietary eponyms.p.p.s. Why such a stern article from the Brits? I thought you guys appreciated dry humor? p.s.x3: Jason Kottke pointed out that Google has been fighting the good fight against genericide for years. Here's an email from 2003 in which Google asks Wordspy.com to change how the site defines the word google. |
Comments (5)
hey, what about Xerox, it's a verb!
Posted by Alex | August 14, 2006 12:54 AM
Yep, but the french use the word Googler as a verb.
Posted by Elias KAI | August 14, 2006 2:34 AM
hehe, i dont think anyone would sue google for claiming that "google" is a verb, mind you the world is crazy these days. I know lots of people who say i googled this, i googled that... its only a matter of time before google take over the world...
Posted by Jack | August 14, 2006 10:10 AM
The issue here isn't that Google will be sued for claiming that "google" is a verb--it's that Google may need to sue someone. At stake is the possibility of the brand name "Google" being allowed to enter the common-use English language. This would effectively diminish Google's rights to the brand name by establishing it as a synonym for a general web search. Common English words, in their general-sense usage cannot be trademarked (effectively). While registration of the trademark is optional, it does provide for statutory relief and damages in the case of encroachment. Registration is at the discretion of the USPTO. The letters are intended to establish Google's actions to prevent such usage, if the case ever arose where Google had to sue someone for encroachment.
Posted by Sam | August 14, 2006 11:21 AM
A+ to Sam. As for Jack, my point was that Google was obligated to send clarifying language to media companies to establish a record of defending their trademark should they need to go to court. However, that doesn't mean Google is going to sue anyone. While Google is concerned (as any company should be) with protecting their trademarks, Schmidt's jocularity implied, at least to me, "no worries.
Posted by Steve Bryant | August 14, 2006 11:57 AM