Shady crazy guy tries to trademark SEO
Good thing Sarah Bird was paying some attention to pending filed trademarks at the US Patent and Trademark Office and found someone named Jason Gambert trying to file a trademark for the word: SEO. The trademark is actually near it's final stages of getting approved and Sarah blogged about it on SEOMoz.
SEO, the acronym for Search Engine Optimization is so widely used just like saying you are a consultant and you offer consulting services. You can't just trademark "consulting" since it is not something that originally belongs to you to identify your product or service as part of it's brand. Although SEO may not be a dictionary word, it is still an acronym that is commonly used since the late 90's for Search Engine Optimization. It is a generic service that is almost like a verb in some ways.
Now some dude, named Jason Gambert attempts to register SEO as his trademark with his main premise as SEO is his process and it is not a service. After several declined statements from the US Patent and Trademark Office, he still shoots back and somehow convinces the trademark office to reached near the final stage. Right now it is openly published for opposition.
We can't tell the future but what he can do is file a cease and desist order to every company that uses the word SEO and say they cannot use it because he owns the trademark. So far this battle is led by Sarah who already started the filing of opposition which cost her $300 by the way. But if ever this still does not get the attention of the approving lawyers at the Patent and Trademark office, maybe more voices may help. Besides $300 is a small price to pay by any good SEO company.
I felt compelled myself to blog about this and I believe every SEO blogger should blog about it and get more people to tell the US Patent and Trademark Office that SEO is a service, not a process by Jason Gambert. SEO is almost common language to every ad agency and web design/development company today as it is part of their services.
SEO, the acronym for Search Engine Optimization is so widely used just like saying you are a consultant and you offer consulting services. You can't just trademark "consulting" since it is not something that originally belongs to you to identify your product or service as part of it's brand. Although SEO may not be a dictionary word, it is still an acronym that is commonly used since the late 90's for Search Engine Optimization. It is a generic service that is almost like a verb in some ways.
Now some dude, named Jason Gambert attempts to register SEO as his trademark with his main premise as SEO is his process and it is not a service. After several declined statements from the US Patent and Trademark Office, he still shoots back and somehow convinces the trademark office to reached near the final stage. Right now it is openly published for opposition.
What will happen if Jason Gambert does get to register the word SEO as his trademark?
We can't tell the future but what he can do is file a cease and desist order to every company that uses the word SEO and say they cannot use it because he owns the trademark. So far this battle is led by Sarah who already started the filing of opposition which cost her $300 by the way. But if ever this still does not get the attention of the approving lawyers at the Patent and Trademark office, maybe more voices may help. Besides $300 is a small price to pay by any good SEO company.
- Sarah Bird's Story
- Status of Jason Gambert's Trademark Registration of SEO
- Where to File for a Notice of Opposition Sorry I am no lawyer to give specific how-to steps. I suggest consult your company lawyer how to do this.
I felt compelled myself to blog about this and I believe every SEO blogger should blog about it and get more people to tell the US Patent and Trademark Office that SEO is a service, not a process by Jason Gambert. SEO is almost common language to every ad agency and web design/development company today as it is part of their services.
posted by Benj Arriola at
12:26 PM
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