AdvanceTrack settles trademark battle vs. GI Outsourcing
Editor’s Note: We have updated the article to clarify that this was a settlement between AdvanceTrack and GI Outsourcing, not an outright court victory as originally stated.
COVENTRY, UNITED KINGDOM — Outsourced accounting firm AdvanceTrack recently settled a two-year court battle against competitor GI Outsourcing for infringing its trademark in Google ads.
United Kingdom’s High Court ruled GI Outsourcing unlawfully used “AdvanceTrack” in its Google Adwords campaigns between March and May 2021, which led to AdvanceTrack’s name appearing in GI’s online ads.
Judge James Tindal found this infringed AdvanceTrack’s registered trademark in the UK. He also ruled it was illegal “passing off,” portraying GI’s services as connected to AdvanceTrack’s brand.
The judge acknowledged the infringement resulted from errors by GI’s marketing agency and brought no commercial gain. However, he still found GI liable.
As part of the settlement, GI Outsourcing will pay AdvanceTrack £50,000 (US$63,237) in damages, – far below the £500,000 (US$632,395) originally claimed — apologize publicly, refrain from future trademark infringement, and remove online infringing materials.
AdvanceTrack Director Vipul Sheth welcomed the settlement, saying it shows “justice has been served” in a case he says was never about money but accountability. Sheth also pledged to donate the £50,000 (US$63,237) settlement to charity.
Meanwhile, GI Outsourcing Director Tariq Hussain noted that the copyright infringement “stemmed from an error by a third-party marketing agency, which the Court has acknowledged was accidental and caused no commercial gain to GI Outsourcing and no substantial loss to AdvanceTrack.”
GI Outsourcing initially offered the settlement in January 2023, AdvanceTrack accepted the deal 11 months later.
