by Structured Settlement Watchdog
J.G. Wentworth has multiple Google Paid Ads which appear to be an attempt to bogart the brand of one of the primary market's largest structured settlement consulting firms
The evidence from multiple searches, using multiple search terms at different times suggests that this is no accident.
The subject primary market structured settlement company has been notified along with preserved proof of search engine results pages with date and time recorded.
The J.G.Wentworth Hypocrisy
When taken into historical context, JG Wentworth seems to be engaging in hypocritical behavior. Three years prior to its first of two bankruptcies and its acquisition of Peachtree, in 2006 JG Wentworth sued Peachtree over similar conduct that JG Wentworth appears to be now engaging in.
On April 10, 2006, plaintiff J.G. Wentworth filed an amended complaint against defendant Peachtree Settlement Funding alleging that defendant engaged in acts of trademark infringement, false representation, trademark dilution, and injury to business reputation in violation of Sections 32(1) and 43(a) of the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 1114(1) and 1125(a) (2006). JG Wentworth also asserted Pennsylvania state law claims of trademark infringement and unfair competition. [See Wentworth v. Settlement Funding LLC, CIVIL ACTION NO. 06-0597 (E.D. Pa. Jan. 4, 2007 ]
J.G. Wentworth's claims in that lawsuit arose from Defendant Peachtree's alleged use of J.G. Wentworth's trademarks in two ways: (1) through Google's AdWords program; and (2) in the "meta tags" for defendant's website. J.G. Wentworth alleged that these uses of plaintiff's name ensures that a link to defendant's website will appear immediately proximate to a link to defendant's website when individuals conduct internet searches for "J.G. Wentworth" or "JG Wentworth."
It should be noted that a live link to the JG Wentworth website appears in the brandjacked Google Ad.
Google Ads (f/k/a Google Adwords)
Through Google Ads (formerly known as Google AdWords), a business such as J G Wentworth must pay to have a Google ad for its business displayed to customers who search for relevant terms on Google Search and Google Maps. Google Ads is a key digital marketing tool for any business that is looking to get meaningful ad copy in front of its target audience. The Google search engine then will present an ordered list of relevant websites identified by the Google database with the most relevant website listed first. The Google search engine will also present a separate list of websites in a "Sponsored Links" section, either at the top or at the bottom of the Search Engine Results Page (SERP).
J.G. Wentworth asserted in its 2006 Complaint against Peachtree asserts that Peachtree's alleged uses of J.G. Wentworth's marks through the AdWords program and in keyword meta tags constitute infringing acts that are intended to confuse consumers and to divert potential consumers away from plaintiff's website. J.G. Wentworth contended in 2006 that by using plaintiff's marks in these ways defendant steals plaintiff's potential customers and erodes the distinctiveness of plaintiff's marks, thus causing a significant loss of profits to plaintiff. J.G Wentworth further alleged that defendant intermittently complies with plaintiff's demands to cease all use of its marks, and this compliance evinces a practice of knowing infringement on the part of defendant.
[ See Wentworth v. Settlement Funding LLC, CIVIL ACTION NO. 06-0597 (E.D. Pa. Jan. 4, 2007]
Why is J.G. Wentworth Conducting Itself In a Manner That It Sued Someone Else Over?
I'm wondering if J.G. Wentworth is feeling the heat from CrowFly's saturation of their space? Not a day goes by when you don't see a CrowFly ad at the top of the Google Ad rotation. Surely the secondary market's "800 lbs gorilla" has enough bananas and should not have to resort to smoke and mirrors to generate leads.