Makemytrip
A plea has been filed before the Supreme Court by online travel company, MakeMyTrip (petitioner) claiming that its trademark is being infringed through the Google Ads program [MakeMyTrip v. Google LLC and ors].
Notably, Booking.com had made the highest bid and purchased the ‘MakeMyTrip’ keyword on the Google Ads Program.
As a result, the online travel company has pointed out that Google search results for ‘MakeMyTrip’ as a keyword would include sponsored links to Booking.com which is a direct competitor.
MakeMyTrip has raised a grievance over its business being diverted to a competitor through the use of such sponsored links. Meanwhile, Google is paid by the advertiser (Booking.com in this case) every time an internet-user clicks on such a sponsored link, MakeMyTrip argued.
The plea by MakeMyTrip is an appeal against a December 2023 order of a division bench of the Delhi High Court which had held that such use of trademarks on the Google Ads program would not amount to…