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The first recorded usage of "Google" used as a verb was on July 8, 1998, by Larry Page, who wrote on a mailing list: "Have fun and keep googling!"

"Google" was officially verbed in the Oxford English Dictionary on June 15, 2006 and to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary in July, 2006.

I firmly believe that having the public utter your company name as a verb is like going to heaven without the inconvenience of dying. Getting "verbed" is the ultimate accomplishment for any brand - the marketer's Shangri-la.

But Google doesn't see it that way. Its legal department isn't happy about getting "verbed" probably because they've bought into the myth that a company risks losing its trademark when it becomes a common figure of speech.

I recently read a WebWatch article written by Will Sturgeon on August 14, 2006. I'm still scratching my head after reading the opening paragraph:

"Internet search giant Google has said it intends to crack down on the use of its brand name as a generic verb, saying phrases such as 'to google' somebody or something are potentially damaging to its brand."

Will Sturgeon goes on to report:

A spokeswoman for Google said: "We think it's important to make the distinction between using the word Google to describe using Google to search the internet and using the word Google to generally describe searching the internet. It has some serious trademark issues."

I'm scratching my head because I'm wondering how the management of one of the world's most valuable companies can confuse their company's trademark with their company's brand. The two concepts are not interchangeable.

As marketer, I have a completely different point-of-view.

Getting verbed may put Google's legal trademark at risk, but it undeniably has a positive impact on the company's brand. I always favor sacrificing one legal battle if it ultimately leads to winning the marketing war ;-)

One of the things I'm certain of is that when a brand gets verbed, its name becomes automatically (and indelibly) etched deep into our unconscious minds. It's true - from a legal perspective, the trademark of the company is diluted over time. But from a marketing perspective, a verbed brand tends to stay at the top of our minds forever. This is the same Top Of Mind Awareness (TOMA) that national advertisers - like Google - work hard for and a pay a lot to acquire every year.

Actually, Google's legal department should be jumping for joy for getting verbed. It's an honor, not an insult. Just think of the trillions of dollars (that's trillion with a T) in free publicity the company will attract through sustainable, organic word-of-mouth marketing.

By getting verbed, Google joins the ranks of other world-recognized brands such as Xerox, Hoover, Kleenex, Phillips and Coke. (Google's TOMA Score is probably higher than the other five mega-brands combined!)

If this marketing miracle ever happens to you in your lifetime, I hope you welcome it and embrace it!

Why Google Is A Verb: When I think of Google, I don't think of a person, place or thing. The Google brand is not a noun, it's a verb. The company's Market Cap of nearly $100 billion is derived because of what it does, not what it is.

"The map is not the territory." That's what Polish-American philosopher Alfred Korzybski (1879-1950) said when asked about the difference between content ("map") and context ("territory").

The same is true with trademarks and bands. For Google, or any other world-class company, a trademark is like a map and worth protecting, but not at the expense of owning the territory (brand).