CorpComms Magazine

The European Court of Justice has ruled that the Internet search engine is not liable when advertisers link their brands and products to Louis Vuitton trademarks such as Dior and Moët & Chandon to promote online campaigns.

The debate has centred around Google's Adwords system, which allows advertisers to bid for trademarks and generate sponsored links alongside their chosen brand's search engine results. Louis Vuitton was outraged that Google was enabling sellers of counterfeit designer goods to associate their products with the luxury goods company's original, and effectively leech off its popularity and prestige.

But the European Court's verdict has labeled the Adwords tool an 'information society service', safeguarding Google against having to monitor all content that it streams, so long as it acts swiftly when notified of an infringement.

Advertisers and other companies who use other's brands to boost their search engine rankings may still come under fire. The Court has insisted that they make the identity of the seller clear, ruling that they must not 'arrange for Google to display ads which do not allow Internet users easily to establish from which undertaking the goods or services covered by the ad in question originate'.

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