20(d) Explain the relationship between the applied-for gTLD string and the community identified in 20(a)

Prototypical answer:

LAMBORGHINI is the brand of Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. and identifies the LAMBORGHINI community.

Recent market studies have been performed by GFK SE (one of the largest market research companies worldwide) in close cooperation with DOXA S.p.A., Milano, in February 2012 on the topic “Survey of market participants on the awareness and secondary meaning “Lamborghini” in Italy. They had the goal, to determine, whether and to what extent the relevant public is aware of the term “Lamborghini” and to what extent this term has acquired secondary meaning as a reference to a specific company. The awareness of the term “Lamborghini” is already without product reference on a high level among the general population (widest group of market participants) as well as among people who use a car or for whom using a car is not out of the question or who have been recently involved in the decision to buy, rent or lease a car or will be involved in such a decision in the near future (closer relevant public): i.e 81.5% and 88.7% respectively. As an answer to the question “What do you associate with ‘Lamborghini’? What do you think of spontaneously?” 79% of the closer relevant public stated “car⁄sports car⁄luxury car”. Therefore there is a strong relationship between the community and the applied for string.

All community members identify themselves with the LAMBORGHINI brand and use the LAMBORGHINI brand for commercial purposes in connection with the community. Therefore there is a strong relationship between the community members and the applied for string.

The string LAMBORGHINI is directly derived and therefore refers to the surname of Ferruccio Lamborghini, the Italian sports car designer, manufacturer and founder of Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. in 1963. Ferruccio Lamborghiniʹs family name became and still is inseparable connected to exclusive car design on highest quality and innovation levels - aspects that strongly define the LAMBORGHINI community.

Similar gTLD applications: (2)