iPhone (tm) and Google AdWords

[LearningTouch]

How do I contact Apple to get permission to use the word iPhone in a Google Adword?

Because Apple has trademarked "iPhone," Google will not let me run ads containing that word unless I have Apple's written permission. Needless to say, trying to advertise iPhone apps without using the word "iPhone" is a waste of time and money!

I found a blog posting from an iPhone developer who said that Apple has a standard form for this; you just contact them and they send it to you. However, when I contacted devprograms about it, they acted like they didn't know what I was talking about. (I'd include a link to the blog posting, but I can't find it right now.)

I see other companies advertising their software using the term "iPhone," so there must be a way to get this permission. Does anyone know specifically how to do this? What e-mail address do I write to, or what phone number do I call?

Many thanks in advance.

[LearningTouch]

Okay, I found the old blog posting discussing this:

Your Google AdWords Approval Status at Three Letter Acronym

Still no real help, though. I contacted ADC, and their response didn't include permission, it just included a link to Apple software licensing page. I'll keep poking around, but any ideas of specific e-mail addresses or phone numbers would be appreciated.

[Kapsoft]

Did you ever solve this adwords problem? Having same issue.

[Hunnenkoenig]

My ad was allowed in a restricted form. My ads appear only in the us.

For my email to Adwords I got this automated message (I am still waiting for a real one):

3) My ad has been disapproved for ‘Trademark Terms’ but I am allowed to use this trademark; how can I get my ad approved?

In order for us to allow a trademark to appear in your ads, we require direct authorisation from the trademark owner. Please ask the trademark owner to submit authorization for your AdWords account at our online authorization form at https://services.google.com/inquiry/aw_tmauth

Notes:
- Please do not use this form unless you are the trademark owner or the contact person listed on the trademark complaint. Trademark owners may also use this form to authorize their own accounts.
- We only accept authorization requests directly from the trademark owner or from the contact person listed on the trademark complaint. We are not able to accept requests from regional branches or subsidiaries of the trademark owner, unless they are the contact person listed on the trademark complaint form or previously authorized by the trademark owner.
- We only accept non-conditional authorization requests. Therefore, please do not include conditions for which the trademark may only be used, such as time period or type of ad content. We are only able to prohibit or allow all use of a particular term by an advertiser. Trademark owners may revoke the authorization at any time.
- Please note that authorisations are account-specific, so you should provide the trademark owner with all Customer ID numbers of the accounts in which you want to use their trademark. The Customer ID number can be found at the top-right hand corner of any of your AdWords account pages.

As I understand, we have to contact apple and ask them for filling the form.

[sjarman]

Does anyone have an offical answer for this issue? I just created an AdWords campaign and it did tell me that the word "iPhone" is a trademark and cannot be used. There was an option there to "Request an exception" so I ticked that and submitted my ads anyway. They are still "pending review" but I'm expecting them to be rejected.

[georgeburns]

4. Always spell and capitalize Apple’s trademarks exactly as they are shown in the Apple Trademark List. Do not shorten or abbreviate Apple product names. Do not make up names that contain Apple trademarks.

Proper Trademark Notice and Attribution

1. Distribution Within the United States Only

a. On product, product documentation, or other product communications that will be distributed only in the United States, use the appropriate trademark symbol (TM, SM, ®) the first time the Apple trademark appears in the text of the advertisement, brochure, or other material.

b. Refer to the Apple Trademark List for the correct trademark symbol, spelling of the trademark, and generic term to use with the trademark. Generaly, the symbol appears at the right shoulder of the trademark (except the Apple Logo, where the logo appears at the right foot).

c. Include an attribution of Apple’s ownership of its trademarks within the credit notice section of your product, product documentation, or other product communication.

Following are the correct formats:

_________ and _______ are registered trademarks of Apple Inc.

_________ and _______ are trademarks of Apple Inc.

2. Distribution Outside the United States:

a. Do not use trademark symbols on products, product documentation, or other product communications that will be distributed outside the United States.

b. Use one of the following international credit notices:

_________ is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

_________ is a trademark of Apple Inc.

Apple - Legal - Copyright and Trademark Guidelines
Apple - Legal - Trademark List

Enjoy.

[LearningTouch]

Originally Posted by sjarman

Does anyone have an offical answer for this issue? I just created an AdWords campaign and it did tell me that the word "iPhone" is a trademark and cannot be used. There was an option there to "Request an exception" so I ticked that and submitted my ads anyway. They are still "pending review" but I'm expecting them to be rejected.

Google has a process whereby the trademark owner can let them know that you are allowed to use the trademark. You need to go through this process and have Apple tell Google that you can use the trademark.

When I did this, the Google process was initiated through a web form. The link I used (What is Google's AdWords and AdSense trademark policy? - AdWords Help) no longer works, though, so that may have changed.

On the Apple side I started by writing to devprograms@apple.com. I didn't get a response, so I wrote to sw.license@apple.com. I don't remember what specifically happened next, but I ended up talking to someone in Apples licensing office, an attorney I believe, and followed up with him by e-mail, and then someone else from that office e-mailed Google and cc'd me saying that it was okay for us to use the word "iphone" in our AdWords.

All of that said, AdWords didn't end up being a worthwhile expenditure for us.

[sjarman]

Thanks for the input. I've read quite a few reports that AdWords doesn't really result in much of a revenue boost. I think if my ads are rejected (they're still pending review) I might just drop the whole thing. I'm running a Facebook campaign at the moment and that's giving me positive results (in that I'm making more than I'm spending). Might just stick with that for a while instead.