TruKid™ Blog
Monday, August 10, 2009
Google allows Coppertone to use my brand name, Trukid, as an Ad Word!
Should Google be able to sell a company’s (TruKid) brand
name for an Ad Word?
You know, I am not typically a blogger. I have a lot on my mind and intend to
blog about various topics, but reality sets in with my 6 kids and running 2
companies; somehow my day just gets busy and I just don’t get back to it.
Anyway, Trukid makes great skin, hair and sun care products
for kids and families, so great that the Environmental Working Group, www.cosmeticdatabase.com
rates our line a 0-3 for overall safety. In fact, our sunscreen products (which
were so popular this year we ran out early even after we stocked up) is ranked
in the best top 10 sunscreens and Coppertone is not.
So imagine my surprise, uh, shock, uh horror!; that
Coppertone uses my brand name as a Google Ad Word. What? . . . Yes, it true, Trukid sunscreen or Trukid
sunblock links to the Coppertone website. Can we all say outloud, unethical and immoral?
This is an age old problem. Big company, is well . . . big. And small company is innovative, visionary, creative, flexible
and able to move fast. Big company
likes what small company is doing and instead of working with the small company
in some kind of strategic partnership they just steal. I am not talking about
stealing product, but stealing brand equity, goodwill, my intellectual property!
This is such an outrage!
Trukid has a mission to create healthy product for kids and
families. Along the way we promote
healthy living, teaching kids to take care of them selves and each other. As a
mom of 6, I strive to get my kids to help themselves and learn independence.
Trukid is a vehicle that helps do this, in that they help at my office, they
are proud of what mom created and love to talk about it to their friends and
teachers. They are engaged. Ok, well . . . .except for the teenager.
Is this a teachable moment? What do I tell my kids? Big companies don’t care that I create
jobs in my community, or that I made something special and anyone big enough
can take that from me or them? Or do big companies suck or does management of big companies
suck? I am all for big companies,
but just not ones that believe it is alright to steal.
How do I teach a moral/ethical situation on this scale? Does mom roll over and say, that’s the
way of it? They ask me everyday, what are you doing about Coppertone? I don't have a great answer.
But really, this is about the Golden Rule! Do unto others,
as you would do unto your self. If I used a large competitors brand name as an
ad word, what would they do to me? I think we all know.
I believe in
the spirit of competition and providing options for customers. But I also
believe companies, big or small can strive for higher ethical standards.
Who’s in the wrong, Google for allowing the use of Trukid as
an ad word or for Coppertone for doing it?
What do you think?
Share Your Thoughts
Subscribe to RSS Feed
