Can You Use A Competitor's Name In Google Ads?

Running search ads can feel like a constant battle for attention. If your customers are searching for a competitor by name, it's natural to wonder whether your business can show up there too.

The answer is sometimes yes, but you need to be careful. Using a competitor's name as a Google Ads keyword can create trade mark, passing off and misleading advertising risk, especially if your ad copy or landing page makes customers think there's a connection between your businesses.

This doesn't have to be complicated. The main question is whether your ad helps customers make a fair choice, or whether it causes confusion or takes unfair advantage of someone else's brand.

Can You Use A Competitor's Name In Google Ads In The UK?

Yes, you can sometimes use a competitor's name in Google Ads in the UK, but only if your campaign doesn't mislead customers or infringe their trade mark rights.

There are two different things to separate:

• Bidding on a competitor's name as a keyword, so your ad may appear when someone searches that name.
• Using the competitor's name in your ad text or landing page, where customers can actually see it.

Bidding on a competitor's name is usually lower risk than putting the name in your ad copy, but it's not risk-free. UK courts have accepted that keyword advertising can be trade mark use, even if the keyword isn't visible to the customer.

The key issue is whether a reasonably well-informed internet user can tell that your ad is from your business, not your competitor. If your ad is clear, honest and doesn't suggest a commercial link, the risk is usually lower.

The risk rises if:

• Your ad looks like it might come from the competitor.
• Your landing page uses the competitor's branding heavily.
• You make claims about being an official partner, authorised supplier or replacement service when that's not true.
• You compare prices, features or reviews without evidence.
• The competitor has a registered UK trade mark and your ads target the same or similar goods or services.

Google's advertising rules are also separate from UK law. A campaign can comply with Google's platform policies and still create legal risk under the Trade Marks Act 1994, passing off principles, consumer protection rules or advertising codes.

Is Bidding On A Competitor's Trade Mark A Trade Mark Infringement?

It depends. Bidding on a competitor's registered trade mark as a keyword may infringe if the ad affects the trade mark's function, especially its role in telling customers where goods or services come from.

Under the Trade Marks Act 1994, a registered trade mark owner can object to certain unauthorised uses of a mark in the course of trade. For PPC campaigns, the most common concern is customer confusion.

For example, if a customer searches for your competitor and sees your ad, can they quickly tell that:

• The ad is from your business.
• You aren't the competitor.
• You aren't an authorised reseller, partner or branch of the competitor.
• You're offering an alternative, not pretending to be connected.

If the answer is yes, the trade mark risk is lower. If the ad is vague or could lead customers to think there's a business connection, the risk is higher.

Trade mark risk also depends on what the competitor has actually protected. A trade mark registration at the UK Intellectual Property Office may cover particular goods or services. If your campaign targets very similar services, the risk is stronger than if your business operates in a completely different field.

What If The Competitor's Name Is Descriptive?

If the competitor's name is a common word or descriptive phrase, the analysis can be more nuanced. A registered trade mark can still be enforceable, but its strength may depend on how distinctive it's and how customers recognise it in the market.

For example, bidding on a phrase because it describes the service you offer is different from trying to capture people who are clearly searching for one specific competitor. Your keyword strategy, ad wording and search intent all matter.

What About Passing Off?

Even if a competitor doesn't have a registered trade mark, they may still complain about passing off. Passing off is about protecting business goodwill from misleading conduct.

A passing off claim usually focuses on three things:

• The competitor has goodwill in their name or branding.
• Your ad or landing page misrepresents a connection with them.
• That misrepresentation causes, or is likely to cause, damage.

In practical terms, don't design your ads or landing pages to look like your competitor's business. Similar colours, taglines, wording, layout and product descriptions can all add to the confusion risk.

Can You Put A Competitor's Name In Your Ad Copy?

Yes, but it's higher risk and you should only do it where the reference is honest, necessary and not misleading.

Using a competitor's name in visible ad copy is much more likely to attract complaints. The competitor may complain to Google, send a legal letter, report the ad to the Advertising Standards Authority or take issue under trade mark law.

You should be especially careful with phrases like:

• Better than [competitor], unless you have current evidence to prove the specific claim.
• [Competitor] alternative, if the ad isn't clearly about your own business.
• Official [competitor] partner, unless you're genuinely authorised.
• Cheaper than [competitor], unless the comparison is accurate, up to date and like-for-like.
• [Competitor] support, if customers may think you provide support on behalf of that competitor.

You should also avoid using a competitor's logo, stylised branding, product images or trade dress without permission. Copyright and design rights can come into play here, as well as trade marks.

If you genuinely need to name a competitor, keep the wording factual and clear. A safer structure is usually something like: your brand name first, then a clear statement that you provide an alternative or comparison. Avoid making the competitor's name the dominant feature of the ad.

What Are The Comparative Advertising Rules In The UK?

You can run comparative advertising in the UK, but your comparisons must be accurate, fair, verifiable and not misleading.

Comparative advertising is common. You might compare prices, plan features, delivery times, contract terms or review scores. The legal issue isn't whether comparison is allowed at all, but whether the comparison is fair and backed by evidence.

The main rules to think about include:

• The UK Code of Non-broadcast Advertising and Direct and Promotional Marketing, known as the CAP Code.
• The Business Protection from Misleading Marketing Regulations 2008, especially for business-to-business advertising.
• The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, if your ads target consumers.
• The Trade Marks Act 1994, if you identify a competitor by a registered mark.

For conduct before 6 April 2025, older concepts from the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 may still be relevant under transitional and saving rules.

The Advertising Standards Authority can require ads to be changed or removed if they breach the CAP Code. The Competition and Markets Authority can also take an interest where advertising or sales practices mislead customers more broadly.

What Makes A Comparison Safer?

A comparison is usually lower risk when it:

• Compares products or services that meet the same need.
• Compares the same features, time periods and customer types.
• Uses current and reliable evidence.
• Clearly explains any assumptions or limits.
• Doesn't cherry-pick details in a way that creates a false impression.
• Doesn't unfairly discredit or ridicule the competitor.

For example, if you say your software is 30% cheaper, you need to know what you're comparing. Is it the monthly plan, annual plan, entry-level plan, implementation fee or total first-year cost? If the claim only works for one narrow scenario, the ad should make that clear.

When Should You Review Advertising Claims?

You should review advertising claims before the campaign goes live, and again whenever prices, features, competitors or market conditions change.

A good advertising claims review looks at:

• The exact wording of the claim.
• The evidence you have to support it.
• Whether the evidence is independent, current and relevant.
• Whether the landing page repeats or expands the claim.
• Whether small print changes the message customers actually take away.

This is one area where templates and generic marketing checklists often miss the detail. The safest wording depends on your product, your evidence and the exact comparison you're making.

How Should You Structure A Lower-Risk PPC Campaign?

You should structure your PPC campaign so customers can clearly tell who is advertising and what is being offered.

A lower-risk competitor keyword campaign usually has controls across the keyword list, ad copy and landing page. It's not enough to only review the headline, because a misleading impression can come from the whole customer journey.

Keyword Checklist

• Run a trade mark search to check whether the competitor's name is a registered trade mark with the UK IPO.
• Check whether the trade mark covers goods or services similar to yours.
• Use negative keywords to reduce accidental targeting of confusing searches.
• Avoid misspellings or variations that suggest you're trying to catch customers who typed the competitor's name by mistake.
• Keep records of why you selected the keyword and what search intent you were targeting.

Ad Copy Checklist

• Make your own business name clear in the headline or visible ad text.
• Don't use the competitor's name unless you have a good reason and the wording is fair.
• Don't suggest endorsement, authorisation, partnership or affiliation unless it's true.
• Be careful with claims like best, number one, leading or cheapest.
• Keep evidence for any measurable claim, such as price, speed, savings or ratings.

Landing Page Checklist

• Make your branding obvious above the fold.
• Don't copy the competitor's design, colours, slogans or product descriptions.
• Explain clearly if you're offering an alternative or comparison.
• Use fair and current comparison tables if you compare features or prices.
• Include clear terms for promotions, discounts or free trials.

Say Maya runs a Manchester-based bookkeeping service. She wants to bid on a nearby competitor's name because local customers often compare both businesses.

A higher-risk ad would say Northside Accounts Bookkeeping - Get Support Today if Northside Accounts is the competitor. That could make customers think Maya's business is connected to Northside Accounts.

A lower-risk approach would put Maya's business name first and use wording that clearly presents her service as an alternative, such as Maya Bookkeeping - Local Bookkeeping For Growing Businesses. If her landing page compares services, she should make sure the comparison is accurate, current and backed by evidence.

What Should You Do If A Competitor Complains?

You should take the complaint seriously, but you don't need to panic or admit fault before checking the position.

Competitor complaints can arrive in different ways. You might receive a message through Google, a legal letter, an ASA complaint, or a direct email from the competitor's marketing or legal team.

Your first step is to preserve the facts:

• Download the ads, keywords, search terms and landing pages.
• Keep screenshots showing what customers saw.
• Check when the campaign went live and how many clicks or conversions it generated.
• Review whether the competitor's name appears as a keyword, in ad text or on the landing page.
• Check whether any comparison claims are supported by current evidence.

Next, assess the legal and commercial risk. Sometimes the sensible move is to pause or amend the ad quickly, especially if the wording is unclear. Other times, you may have a good basis to push back because the ad is clear, fair and not misleading.

If the complaint mentions a registered trade mark, check the UK IPO register for the trade mark owner, classes, renewal status and wording. A trade mark may not cover everything the competitor says it covers.

If the complaint goes through Google, remember that Google's decision is about platform policy. It may restrict your use of a trade mark in ad text, but that doesn't automatically decide whether there has been trade mark infringement under UK law.

If the ASA is involved, the focus will usually be whether the ad breaches the CAP Code. You'll want to respond with clear evidence, not just marketing explanations.

What Common Mistakes Should You Avoid?

The biggest mistake is treating competitor keyword advertising as purely a marketing decision. It also needs a legal and compliance check before spend ramps up.

Common mistakes include:

• Making the competitor's name too prominent, so the ad looks like it might be from them.
• Using vague wording, such as official support or approved service, when there's no formal relationship.
• Copying the competitor's landing page style, including colour schemes, headings, comparison language or calls to action.
• Running price claims without proof, especially where prices change often or packages aren't like-for-like.
• Forgetting about dynamic keyword insertion, which can accidentally place a competitor's name into visible ad copy.
• Leaving agencies without clear instructions, so ads go live before trade mark and claims checks are done.

If you use an external marketing agency, your contract should clearly set out who is responsible for trade mark checks, ad approvals, claims evidence and responding to complaints. Without clear approval processes, you may struggle to work out who was responsible if a campaign causes a dispute.

You should also keep a simple evidence file for competitor comparison campaigns. This might include screenshots of competitor pricing, dated feature comparisons, internal approvals and notes on how claims were checked. If a claim is challenged, having organised evidence can make a real difference.

Key Takeaways

• You can sometimes bid on a competitor's name in Google Ads in the UK, but the ad must not confuse customers or suggest a false connection.
• Using a competitor's trade mark in visible ad copy is higher risk than using it as a keyword.
• Comparative advertising is allowed when it's fair, accurate, verifiable and not misleading.
• Check the full customer journey, including keywords, ad copy, dynamic insertion and landing pages.
• If a competitor complains, preserve the evidence, review the trade mark position and consider whether the ad should be paused or amended.
• Clear approval processes with your marketing team or agency can help you avoid disputes before campaigns go live.

If you'd like help with reviewing your Google Ads campaign, checking trade mark risk, preparing fair comparison claims or setting up advertising approval processes, you can reach us at 08081347754 or team@sprintlaw.co.uk for a free, no-obligations chat.