UPDATEUPDATE Trademarks FEBRUARY 2004 Back to the Future: Ninth Circuit Directs Courts Back to Likelihood of Confusion Standard to Determine Whether Internet Advertising Keyed to Trademarks is Infringement Until recently, using company trademarks to trigger A. BACKGROUND advertising, even advertising by competitors, Money spent on advertising that does not reach appeared to have the sanction of the courts. Lower interested consumers is money poured down the court decisions found that this technique, sometimes proverbial drain. This is especially true on the called “keying,” did not constitute “use in Internet, where users are most apt to disregard commerce” of the trademarks and, thus, did not fall advertising as irrelevant, if not a nuisance. As within the purview of United States trademark law. Internet use continues to grow, the ability to deliver Last month, in Playboy Enterprises, Inc. v. Netscape advertising relevant to users will become more and Communications Corp., 354 F.3d 1020 (9th Cir. more important. For this reason, finding efficient, 2004), the United States Court of Appeals for the legal ways to direct Internet advertising toward Ninth Circuit became the first federal appellate court consumers who might “click through” is one of the to rule on whether selling a trademark as a keyword most significant tasks facing companies advertising constitutes trademark infringement. The Ninth on the Internet. Circuit held that keying advertising does constitute Companies selling advertising space or services have “use in commerce” of the trademark, meaning it is developed a variety of techniques to help advertisers governed by trademark law. The court also reach interested consumers. For example, search suggested that at least some forms of keyed engines such as Google or Yahoo often sell advertising are trademark infringement. “keywords” to advertisers. Advertisers interested in If keying advertising to trademarks is ultimately reaching consumers who have an interest in a found to be trademark infringement, trademark subject – for instance, personal computers – can owners will have greater protection for their marks. purchase the right to have their ads appear when To the extent that advertisers and businesses that rely users perform a search for that term. In this on the sale of Internet advertising did not cease hypothetical example, manufacturers and sellers of keying advertising to trademarks, trademark owners personal computers might be interested in would have recourse to prevent perceived purchasing the “personal computers” keyword. infringement. The cost of doing business on the Other advertising services use software downloaded Internet could significantly increase, however, as by the Internet user to monitor the user’s browsing advertisers and businesses that rely on the sale of habits, so that they can direct pop-up or pop-under Internet advertising would be forced to develop new advertisements that coincide with the user’s interests techniques to reach interested consumers. as reflected by the user’s browsing habits. These Kirkpatrick & Lockhart LLP practices are collectively referred to as “keying” contextual advertising does not include the keyword advertisements or “contextual advertising.” that prompted it to appear, these courts found no Keying advertising based on generic terms, like “use in commerce” of the trademark and rarely “personal computers,” is uncontroversial. However, proceeded to the question of whether there was a consumers do not always search for generic terms; likelihood of confusion. often they search for company trademarks. For this A form of this approach was first adopted by the reason, advertising services often use trademarks to lower court in Playboy v. Netscape. In that case, the identify consumer interest in product lines. For defendant search engines keyed banner ads offering example, an Internet user looking for a certain type adult-oriented services to the words “playboy” and and quality of adult entertainment might enter the “playmate.” Although this practice had the potential search term “Playboy.” to divert consumers searching for Playboy’s In the Playboy v. Netscape case, the Ninth Circuit distinctive brand of adult entertainment, the district ruled that courts should focus on whether there is a court found no infringement of Playboy’s likelihood of confusion as a result of the appearance trademarks in part because the defendant search of an advertisement keyed to a trademark in engines had not made a “use in commerce” of those determining whether that trademark has been marks. Consequently, the district court granted infringed. While such a conclusion may seem summary judgment in favor of the defendant search obvious – as the Ninth Circuit noted, the core engines. element of trademark infringement is a likelihood of Although most subsequent cases have dealt with confusion – the ruling will likely work a substantial pop-up or pop-under advertising that use a more shift in the analytical framework utilized by lower complicated set of factors, including trademarks, to courts around the country, which had previously key advertising, the courts in these cases have focused on whether keyed advertising constituted a followed the lower court’s decision in Playboy and “use in commerce.” In addition, the Ninth Circuit’s found no “use in commerce” of the trademark, and decision suggests that contextual advertising may therefore no infringement. constitute trademark infringement. C. THE NINTH CIRCUIT FOCUSES ON B. PRIOR DECISIONS FOCUSED ON A LIKELIHOOD OF CONFUSION “USE IN COMMERCE” In Playboy v. Netscape, the Ninth Circuit quickly Beginning with the district court’s 1999 decision in rejected this line of reasoning, noting that the Playboy v. Netscape, courts have found that statute’s definition of “use in commerce” is directed contextual advertising keyed to a competitor’s at the use required to claim rights in a mark.4 trademark does not constitute trademark Relying on the statute’s definition of “commerce,” infringement because there was no “use in the Ninth Circuit found that keying advertising to a commerce” of the trademark.1 For a trademark competitor’s trademarks was “use in commerce” that infringement claim to lie, the alleged infringer must consequently could constitute trademark make “use in commerce” of a word that is likely to infringement. The Ninth Circuit also found that cause confusion with the trademark.2 Although the there was a genuine issue of material fact regarding trademark statute (the Lanham Act) defines the existence of a likelihood of confusion. It “commerce” broadly to include all commerce that therefore reversed the grant of summary judgment may be lawfully regulated by Congress, these courts and remanded the case to the district court for focused on the statute’s definition of “use in further proceedings. commerce,” which requires that the mark be used on or in connection with goods or services.3 Because 2 KIRKPATRICK & LOCKHART LLP TRADEMARKS UPDATE In analyzing whether there was a genuine issue of Until this issue is resolved, companies selling material fact regarding the existence of a likelihood advertising should take steps to present keyed of confusion, the court concluded that the majority advertising in a manner that avoids a likelihood of of the relevant factors favored Playboy. While not confusion. Likewise, advertisers may want to take binding on the lower court, the Ninth Circuit’s steps to avoid the risk that their keyed advertising decision suggests that using trademarks to key could be found to create a likelihood of confusion advertising may constitute trademark infringement, with a competitor’s mark. Meanwhile, trademark at least in some situations. The Ninth Circuit’s owners should remain vigilant in policing their ruling thus has the potential to work a 180-degree trademarks and, in light of Playboy v. Netscape, may shift in the law governing contextual advertising. wish to consider taking action to end perceived infringement through contextual advertising. D. THE IMPLICATIONS OF PLAYBOY AND HOW TO RESPOND ENDNOTES The Ninth Circuit’s Playboy v. Netscape decision 1 See Playboy Enter., Inc. v. Netscape could fundamentally alter the Internet landscape by Communications Corp. and Excite, Inc., 55 F. moving courts to rewrite the rules of the game Supp. 2d 1070 (C.D. Ca. 1999); U-Haul Intíl, Inc. v. WhenU.com, Inc., 279 F. Supp. 2d 723 (E.D. regarding the use of trademarks to sell advertising Va. 2003); Wells space. If subsequent decisions find that keying Fargo & Co. v. WhenU.com, Inc., 293 F.Supp.2d advertisements to trademarks constitutes trademark 734 (E.D. Mich. 2003). infringement, trademark owners will be able to 2 See 15 U.S.C. §§ 1114(1), 1125(a)(1). enforce their rights when necessary, and the value of 3 See id. § 1127. 4 See Playboy v. Netscape, 354 F.3d at 1024 n.11. contextual advertising could diminish significantly. 5 See Stefanie Olsen, Netscape, Playboy settle While the Playboy v. Netscape case creates the search trademark case (Jan. 23, 2004) at foundation for such a shift in the Internet landscape, http://news.com.com/2100-1024_3-5146502.html. 6 See Google Inc. v. American Blind & Wallpaper it will not complete that shift itself. Less than two Factory Inc., No. C-03-5340 (N.D. Calif. filed Playboy v. Netscape weeks after the decision, November 26, 2003); see also Stefanie Olsen, Playboy and Netscape settled their case.5 As a Google wants ruling on search trademark law result, the question of whether and under what