I once hid a client’s competitor’s product names in my client’s website so that my client’s site would come up in searches (at his request). My client soon received a very formal looking letter demanding he desist. He complied, but was pleased to have riled his competitor so effectively.

Now it seems that the Google equivalent is happening. It is selling brand names to rivals to use in Google searches. Interflora searches are delivering both Interflora ads and M&S flowers ads (try it and see).

So here’s a big problem if you’ve managed to build the leading brand, only to find others can piggy-back on your success in this way.

But is it any different from putting your carpet shop next the leading carpet shop in the shopping centre and hoping people will check you out when they come searching for the leader?

Should Interflora be getting their corporate knickers in a twist even if M&S’s Stuart “Rose” isn’t really coming up smelling of, well, roses on this one?

What do you think? Leave a comment to respond.