Geico v Google

BY SAM HANANEL



ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- A federal judge heard arguments Monday in a trademark dispute that could threaten millions in advertising revenue for Google.



Attorneys for auto insurance giant Geico told U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema that Google should not be allowed to sell ads to rival insurance companies that are triggered when Geico's name is typed into the Google search box.



Geico claims that Google's AdWords program, which displays the rival ads under a ''Sponsored Links'' heading next to a user's search results, causes confusion for consumers and illegally exploits Geico's investment of hundreds of millions of dollars in its brand.



But Google said the ad policy is no different from a supermarket giving out coupons for one product in the checkout line when a customer buys the same product from a different company.