The short answer
The answer depends on the specific use. Google's trademark policy treats keywords differently from visible trademark references in advertisements. A platform decision also does not finally determine legality under the applicable law. Start by establishing what is actually being displayed to the customer.
Separate the search query from the visible advertisement
Google generally does not restrict keywords under its trademark policy. Different criteria cover trademarks in advertisements, including direct competition, misleading use and certain exceptions. Seeing an advertisement after entering your brand name therefore does not reliably establish which keyword the advertiser actually selected or paid to target in that campaign.
Record the search terms and capture the complete visible advertisement, advertiser and displayed destination address. Avoid cropping so tightly that labels or context disappear. Note the date, language and location of the search so that a later assessment can begin with the same observed situation rather than relying on your recollection.
Sources: Google Ads: Public trademark policy
Document the particular advert rather than a general suspicion
Keep the accessible destination page and its presentation of the supplier as well as the advertisement. Separate what you observed from assumptions about the campaign. A table linking date, query, advert and destination is more useful for assessment than a large collection of unlabelled screenshots from different searches that cannot easily be reconstructed.
A Google complaint concerns specific advertisers or URLs and demonstrated rights in the relevant countries and industries. Prepare your registration details and a factual account. Do not claim ownership or territorial coverage you cannot substantiate, and connect each objection to what the particular advertisement actually showed to the customer.
Sources: Google Ads: Public trademark policy
Separate platform action from legal steps
Registration of your trademark does not automatically stop another advertiser's campaign. Equally, a rejected platform complaint does not establish that every legal issue has been resolved. For a serious conflict, obtain a separate assessment of the use, territory, offerings and possible legal steps before making binding demands of the advertiser.
Preparing a future application starts with the precise brand name and your actual offering. An existing advertising conflict requires additional evidence and may call for a separate engagement. Explain the two needs separately in your enquiry so responsibility, scope and any charges for assistance can be clearly agreed before work begins.
Sources: IPI: Trademark conflicts and earlier rights · Fedlex: Trade Mark Protection Act, Article 55
What you can do now
- Save the advert, destination and search context with the date.
- Distinguish a visible trademark reference from an assumed keyword.
- Have registration details and the relevant territory ready for assessment.
Frequently asked questions
Can I remove every advert shown after a search for my brand?
No. The query alone is insufficient. The actual advertisement, applicable platform criteria and, where needed, a separate legal assessment are what matter.
Sources: Google Ads: Public trademark policy
Does a new trademark application include an advertising complaint?
Not automatically. Registration and handling an existing dispute are different tasks. Agree any assistance with a complaint and its scope expressly rather than assuming it is included.