ArteWorks SEO Files Notice With USPTO Of Intent To Join Fight Against Approval Of 'SEO' Trademark

April 22, 2008; 07:32 AM

Austin, Texas (PRWEB) April 21, 2008 -- ArteWorks.net Inc., d.b.a. ArteWorks SEO, today filed its notice of intent to join the fight against an application for trademark which attempts to reserve the phrase "SEO" for use by a single individual "in all computer related areas" including "search engine optimization". ArteWorks SEO has put the trademark applicant, Jason Gambert, on notice of ArteWorks' intent to oppose the application through its submission to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) of a Request for 30 Day Extension of Time to File Notice of Opposition. ArteWorks SEO's request was automatically granted today by the USPTO.

The application which is before the USPTO and has been assigned serial number 77171330 attempts to reserve use of the term SEO to the applicant to the exclusion of all other parties. It appears the application contains deceptive information in addition to being a frivolous attempt to leverage an accepted industry term for the financial advantage of the Applicant Jason Gambert.

Among other things, Gambert alleges in his application that his "first use" of the term "SEO" was on or about February of 2007. ArteWorks SEO has been using the term SEO to describe its search marketing and search engine optimization services since at least March of 2004. Additionally, numerous web references to the term "SEO" have been found in the Internet archive and other sources dating back at least as far as 2001. These web references include but are not limited to archived Wikipedia pages and archived pages of numerous firms offering SEO services prior to Applicant's alleged "first use" of February, 2007.

"ArteWorks SEO, as well as numerous other entities and individuals, have been using the term 'SEO' to describe search engine optimization services for years prior to the alleged first use of February, 2007," stated Matt Foster, CEO of ArteWorks SEO. "The term 'SEO' has been around since the 1990s, and it is preposterous that any single individual would purport to claim ownership of the term. As leaders in the SEO industry, we are proud to stand up and fight against this bad faith trademark application."

At least one other organization, SEOMoz, Inc., has already filed a Notice of Opposition in the same case.

ArteWorks SEO has until May 25th to file its completed Notice of Opposition, or in the alternative request an additional extension of time.

About ArteWorks SEO:
ArteWorks SEO is an internationally recognized search engine optimization firm and a leader in the field of search engine optimization. For more information, please visit www.arteworks.biz.