| gTLD | Full Legal Name | E-mail suffix | Detail | | .MERCKMSD | MSD Registry Holdings, Inc. | fairwindspartners.com | View |
18.2 How do you expect that your proposed gTLD will benefit registrants, Internet users, and others?
MSDRH believes that the proposed .MERCKMSD gTLD has the potential to offer a variety of benefits to Internet end users, such as establishing a trusted source of information and online marketplace for the millions of end-users searching for related information through MSD’s online resources.
In addition, MSDRH anticipates that .MERCKMSD can provide MSD and potentially its qualified subsidiaries and affiliates with short and memorable Internet addresses, as well as provide increased navigation to products, services, advertising campaigns, public interest content, and public awareness initiatives.
A .MERCKMSD gTLD can also minimize the cost and need for defensive registrations because domain names within the .MERCKMSD gTLD will initially only be allocated by MSDRH to MSDʹs internal departments and potentially to qualified subsidiaries and affiliates of MSD.
Also, end users may benefit from lower incidents of phishing and malware often associated with mistypes of domain names in the .COM space that are owned by cybersquatters since they will be navigating to domain names in the .MERCKMSD gTLD.
18.2.1 What is the goal of your proposed gTLD in terms of areas of specialty, service levels, or reputation?
The primary mission and purpose of the .MERCKMSD gTLD is to provide a trusted, hierarchical, and intuitive online marketplace for MSD content and other products and services. Given that end-users are increasingly demanding access to MSD information through a variety of channels, which include domain names, MSDRH believes that the .MERCKMSD gTLD has the potential to provide an innovative, virtual avenue to content from MSD that will deepen and broaden its relationship with these end-users.
As MSDRH’s parent company, MSD, continues to expand its product offerings and research areas, the company has considered using .MERCKMSD to pursue and develop opportunities to market and distribute its online content and products to end users on various platforms, including the Internet and mobile devices, among others. Providing end-users with a trusted experience is paramount to MSDRH and its parent company, MSD, and the .MERCKMSD gTLD will be used to further that goal.
While healthcare companies, such as MSD, fight never-ending battles to protect their valuable intellectual property from fraud and piracy on the Internet, the .MERCKMSD gTLD would offer end-users a safe and intuitive means of accessing authorized content from MSD and potentially MSD’s qualified subsidiaries and affiliates and potential licensees and strategic parties.
18.2.2 What do you anticipate your proposed gTLD will add to the current space, in terms of competition, differentiation, or innovation?
As a .BRAND gTLD, the primary driving factors of the .MERCKMSD gTLD are differentiation and innovation. The success of the gTLD will not be measured by the number of domain names registered. Instead, it will be measured by the levels of consumer recognition and trust that are placed in the .MERCKMSD gTLD. Using this benchmark, MSDRH will strive to build consumer recognition and trust that rise to the levels of those found in the .EDU and .GOV gTLDs.
As noted above. MSDRH’s parent, MSD, is a leading healthcare company that leverages emerging technologies to deliver healthcare information, products, and services internationally.
The .MERCKMSD gTLD has the potential to aid this online strategy, if potential consumer benefits that ICANN experts have anticipated become a reality.
18.2.3 What goals does your proposed gTLD have in terms of user experience?
MSDRH believes that the .MERCKMSD gTLD will provide a single, trusted ecosystem experience for the millions of end-users seeking information about MSD and its products and services. In addition to providing end-users with short, memorable, and intuitive domain names, MSDRH will have best-in-class safeguards to minimize any potential infringing or pirated content within the .MERCKMSD gTLD.
MSD will continue to stay abreast of changes in the new gTLD space following commencement of operations and will adjust its strategy as needed to ensure it is providing the most valuable and relevant experience for end users.
18.2.4 Provide a complete description of the applicant’s intended registration policies in support of the goals listed above.
The .MERCKMSD gTLD is currently intended to be exclusively used by MSD and potentially MSD’s qualified subsidiaries and affiliates.
Because of this condition precedent, any registration and use requirements are more appropriately vested in corporate⁄affiliate agreements and not in a domain name registration agreement. MSDRH reserves the right to consider allowing third party registrants outside of current affiliate or subsidiary relationships to own .MERCKMSD domains for a fee at a future date. This would only be determined following an extensive, internal evaluation of MSD’s on-going branding and online goals, and discussions with MSD’s registry services provider.
MSDRH will incorporate all required ICANN consensus policies and other legal⁄policy requirements imposed on new gTLD applicants into the appropriate agreements.
18.2.5 Will your proposed gTLD impose any measures for protecting the privacy or confidential information of registrants or users? If so, please describe any such measures.
MSD recognizes first hand that this is an evolving area of law in which there is no uniform international standard. As a global healthcare company, MSD respects the privacy of its end-users. The company employs a variety of physical, electronic, contractual, and managerial safeguards to protect personal and confidential information on its websites.
MSDRH will take similar precautions to protect registrant and user data associated with the .MERCKMSD gTLD.
Furthermore, given that every domain name will be registered to MSD or potentially a qualified subsidiary or affiliate and potentially licensees or strategic parties, MSDRH has a vested interest in ensuring that accurate and current registrant information is readily available in connection with each .MERCKMSD domain name.
MSD will ensure that the operation of the .MERCKMSD gTLD will be consistent with MSD’s Statement of Privacy Principles, available on its website at http:⁄⁄www.merck.com⁄privacy⁄.
In addition, MSDRH intends to incorporate contractual language in its Registry-Registrar Agreement (RRA) modeled after language that has been included in the template Registry Agreement and that has been successful utilized by existing ICANN gTLD Registry Operators. The template Registry Agreement states “Registry Operator shall (i) notify each ICANN-accredited registrar that is a party to the registry-registrar agreement for the TLD of the purposes for which data about any identified or identifiable natural person (“Personal Data”) submitted to Registry Operator by such registrar is collected and used under this Agreement or otherwise and the intended recipients (or categories of recipients) of such Personal Data, and (ii) require such registrar to obtain the consent of each registrant in the TLD for such collection and use of Personal Data. Registry Operator shall take reasonable steps to protect Personal Data collected from such registrar from loss, misuse, unauthorized disclosure, alteration or destruction. Registry Operator shall not use or authorize the use of Personal Data in a way that is incompatible with the notice provided to registrars.ʺ
18.2.6 Describe whether and in what ways outreach and communications will help to achieve your projected benefits.
MSDRH plans to start using .MERCKMSD domain names primarily as redirects to existing .COM and other domains that MSD and potentially, MSD’s qualified subsidiaries and affiliates, currently operate. MSDRH also plans to carefully review the response from search engines to .BRAND gTLDs, and the perception of end users. As the marketplace evolves, MSDRH will invest in outreach and communication as needed to ensure that its end-users continue to interact with MSDRH content, services, and products in a simplified, efficient, and productive manner.
| gTLD | Full Legal Name | E-mail suffix | Detail | | .ZIPPO | Zadco Company | fairwindspartners.com | View |
18.2 How do you expect that your proposed gTLD will benefit registrants, Internet users, and others?
Zadco believes that the proposed .ZIPPO gTLD has the potential to offer the following benefits to Internet users and consumers:
-Establish a trusted source of information and online marketplace for consumers worldwide who purchase goods through Zippo’s online retail stores; for third parties seeking information; and for the general Internet user population;
-Provide Zippo and its affiliates with short and memorable Internet addresses; provide increased navigation to products, services, advertising campaigns, events, public interest content, etc.;
-Minimize the cost and need for defensive registrations because domain names will only initially be allocated by Zadco to Zippo and its qualified subsidiaries and affiliates for internal company use; and
-Develop a potential platform for the secure access to, purchase of, and distribution of Zippo products and information to consumers, in order to minimize the potential for counterfeit or infringing goods.
Also, through the adoption of new gTLDs by the wider Internet user community, consumers may benefit from lower incidents of phishing and malware often associated with mistypes of domain names in the .COM space that are owned by cybersquatters, since they will be navigating to domain names in the .ZIPPO gTLD.
18.2.1 What is the goal of your proposed gTLD in terms of areas of specialty, service levels, or reputation?
The primary mission and purpose of the .ZIPPO gTLD is to provide a trusted and intuitive online marketplace to deliver Zippo retail content and information on Zippo’s business and focus. As Zippo continues to expand, it is the company’s desire to pursue and develop opportunities to market and distribute its online content to consumers, in the U.S. and internationally, on various platforms, including the Internet and mobile devices, among others. Given that customers increasingly request access to Zippo brands through a variety of channels, which include domain names, Zadco believes that the .ZIPPO gTLD has the potential to provide an innovative, virtual avenue to Zippo online content that will deepen and broaden its relationship with consumers.
Most importantly, Zippo will be able to provide access to its online content in a namespace devoid of piracy, cybersquatting, and other malicious activities. Providing consumers with a trusted experience is paramount to Zippo and the .ZIPPO gTLD will be used to further that goal.
While companies such as Zippo fight a never-ending battle to protect their valuable intellectual property from piracy on the Internet, the .ZIPPO gTLD would offer consumers a safe and intuitive means of accessing authorized content from Zippo and its qualified subsidiaries and affiliates.
18.2.2 What do you anticipate your proposed gTLD will add to the current space, in terms of competition, differentiation, or innovation?
As a branded gTLD, the primary driving factors of the .ZIPPO gTLD are differentiation and innovation. The number of domain names registered will not measure the success of the gTLD, but rather success will be judged by the levels of consumer recognition and trust that are placed in the .ZIPPO gTLD. Using this benchmark, Zippo will strive to build consumer recognition and trust through the usage of the .ZIPPO gTLD that rise to the levels of those found in the .EDU and .GOV gTLDs.
As noted above, Zippo is a leading global manufacturing company that leverages numerous distribution channels and emerging technologies to deliver its online content and consumer goods to its customers internationally. The .ZIPPO gTLD has the potential to augment this online strategy, if the potential benefits that ICANN has projected become a reality.
18.2.3 What goals does your proposed gTLD have in terms of user experience?
Zadco believes that the .ZIPPO gTLD will provide a single, trusted ecosystem experience for the millions of consumers worldwide who purchase Zippo’s retail goods, as well as those who seek information that Zippo provides, such as investors and members of the press. In addition to providing consumers with short, memorable, and intuitive domain names, consumers will know that all domains and content are owned and controlled by Zippo, and thus that they are protected from potential infringing, counterfeit, and other harmful content that consumers are plagued with in .COM and other open gTLDs.
The initial use of the .ZIPPO gTLD will involve a limited number of second-level domain names. This initial use will provide Zadco with the ability to ensure seamless and secure access to the Zippo websites and interoperability with various software and Web-⁄mobile-based applications. Once appropriate security and stability issues have been satisfactorily addressed, Zadco will likely begin allocating domain names for internal corporate use at Zippo and may redirect .ZIPPO domain names to preexisting content. This phased rollout will likely take place over a multi-year period, subject to change depending upon a range of external factors.
At the same time, Zippo will evaluate potential strategies to migrate traffic away from its current network of second-level domains, which are registered in various TLDs, to the .ZIPPO gTLD, which offers the potential to provide customers with a single, trusted online source for Zippo brand products and services.
After consideration of the following factors: analysis of Zippo’s existing domain name portfolio; internal analysis of marketing initiatives; and the fact that Zadco will have full control over the number of registrations in the .ZIPPO gTLD namespace, Zadco reasonably assumes that the number of domain name registrations will be less than 10,000 in the first five years of operation.
18.2.4 Provide a complete description of the applicant’s intended registration policies in support of the goals listed above.
Zadco currently intends for the .ZIPPO gTLD to be used exclusively by Zippo and its qualified subsidiaries and affiliates. Because of this condition, and because the Zippo mark is a valuable brand, the protection of which is paramount to Zippo, Zadco intends to address registration and use requirements in the qualified affiliate⁄subsidiary agreements that exist between those qualified affiliates⁄subsidiaries and Zippo, rather than in a domain name registration agreement.
Notwithstanding these concerns, Zadco will incorporate all required ICANN consensus policies and other legal⁄policy requirements imposed on new gTLD applicants into the terms and conditions of the domain name registration agreements that each qualified subsidiary and affiliate of Zippo will execute.
18.2.5 Will your proposed gTLD impose any measures for protecting the privacy or confidential information of registrants or users? If so, please describe any such measures.
As a global manufacturing company, Zippo respects the privacy of its customers and other consumers. The company employs a variety of physical, electronic, contractual, and managerial safeguards to protect personal and confidential information in its stores and on its websites. Zadco will take similar precautions to protect registrant and user data associated with the .ZIPPO gTLD. Furthermore, given that every domain name will initially be registered to Zippo or its qualified subsidiaries and affiliates, Zippo has a vested interest to ensure that accurate and current domain name information is readily available in connection with each .ZIPPO domain name.
Zadco will ensure that the operation of the .ZIPPO gTLD will be consistent with Zippo’s Privacy Policy, see http:⁄⁄www.zippo.com⁄privacy.aspx.
In addition, Zadco intends to incorporate contractual language in its Registry-Registrar Agreement (RRA) modeled after language that has been included in the template Registry Agreement and that has been successfully utilized by existing ICANN gTLD Registry Operators.
The template Registry Agreement states, “Registry Operator shall (i) notify each ICANN-accredited registrar that is a party to the registry-registrar agreement for the TLD of the purposes for which data about any identified or identifiable natural person (“Personal Data”) submitted to Registry Operator by such registrar is collected and used under this Agreement or otherwise and the intended recipients (or categories of recipients) of such Personal Data, and (ii) require such registrar to obtain the consent of each registrant in the TLD for such collection and use of Personal Data. Registry Operator shall take reasonable steps to protect Personal Data collected from such registrar from loss, misuse, unauthorized disclosure, alteration or destruction. Registry Operator shall not use or authorize the use of Personal Data in a way that is incompatible with the notice provided to registrars.ʺ
18.2.6 Describe whether and in what ways outreach and communications will help to achieve your projected benefits.
As noted above, Zadco’s driving factor in securing the .ZIPPO gTLD in ICANN’s first round is precautionary in nature, and while Zadco and Zippo see the potential for this gTLD to be able to play a large role in Zippo’s future online strategic initiatives, there are a number of unanswered questions concerning consumer recognition, the adoption of new gTLDs, and the response from search engines in the marketplace that will influence the usage of the gTLD and communication about that usage.
Notwithstanding this, Zippo plans to start using .ZIPPO domains initially as redirects to existing .COM domains. As the aforementioned questions are answered over time, Zippo may decide to initiate a targeted, pilot rollout using select gTLD domains as primary addresses and, after careful analysis and study of this rollout, Zippo may plan to engage in a broader initiative should the results be satisfactory and in accordance with Zippo’s overall strategic goals, both in the online space and in its retail store operations. The actual usage of .ZIPPO domain names will dictate what public communications and consumer outreach is done to encourage navigation to .ZIPPO domain names. This may include, but is not limited to, advertising, media outreach, in-store communications, email campaigns, etc.