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Re:Google, you win by yovia on Friday August 29, 2014 @12:14PM (#8243137)
We have the rights for social media services. We don't care about people using it as descriptive text, we care when they use it to market advertising services.
Re:Google, you win by mixologic on Friday August 29, 2014 @12:48PM (#8243314)
You should never have been granted a trademark on a phrase this common. In the court of public opinion, trying to own a phrase that is already common parlance, not something you made up, is asinine. You're wasting your investors money on trying to own this phrase, and you're likely going to get shouted down here. GLWT.
Re:Google, you win by seanflyon on Friday August 29, 2014 @02:21PM (#8243751)
"spread the word" is not a mark of your trade because it does not identify your business. Do you think it would cause brand confusion for other people to use that phrase in the social media context?

It's just a common phrase you don't want other people to use in the same context they have been using it in for a long time.

Re:Google, you win by dbecker on Friday August 29, 2014 @01:45PM (#8243587)
I find it hard to believe you were among the first to use this phrase for social media and/or advertising services.

It seems in fairly widespread use even for that use case.

Re:Google, you win by JustThrowinAway on Friday August 29, 2014 @12:19PM (#8243158)
Unfortunately, the case Google (or more specifically Cooley) is that the term is still too vague, regardless of the limit of your context.

This seems analogous to a company trying to trademark "Skip the lines" when advertising an online store.

Re:Google, you win by wflynny on Friday August 29, 2014 @12:50PM (#8243319)
This blogpost also doesn't appear to include the entire response from Cooley, LLC. Is there more after is lists the definition of the idiom and several other major places where the idiom is used? I imagine with the way the previous paragraph concluded, there would be more.

Also, is "Spread the word" really the "most integral part of [y]our branding and marketing"? The phrase doesn't seem inherently or distinctly creative, nor can I really see a second meaning the immediately invokes your product/services. Surprised you were granted the trademark at all.