Google and Rosetta Stone are in the midst of a legal battle that could have dramatic impact on future SEO marketing strategies (http://tinyurl.com/yc3x5qo).
Google is selling the Rosetta Stone brand name as a keyword in competing advertiser SEO campaigns. Rosetta Stone is claiming trademark infringement. While using competitor names as keywords in search engines is a very common practice in online marketing, this case could have long lasting effects on how SEO campaigns are conducted in the future.
Using another brand name as a keyword in a search engine doesn't automatically drive the user to the competitor's site. It only brings up the site as a possible option in the search results. Therefore, I don't think that Rosetta Stone has any solid ground to stand on, but how the court rules will be interesting. Stay tuned!
