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18(a) Describe the mission/purpose of your proposed gTLD

gTLDFull Legal NameE-mail suffixDetail
.EXTRASPACEExtra Space Storage LLCmsn.comView
Extra Space Storage® Inc. (Extra Space) is a real estate investment trust based in Salt Lake City, Utah with regional offices in California, Connecticut, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Texas. Extra Space Storage is the second largest operator of self-storage in the U.S., and is a national owner, developer, acquirer and operator of professionally managed self-storage properties.
Extra Space Storage is a thirty year old company that has been involved in the self-storage industry since its inception. It is a growth-oriented company creating a new standard in the self-storage industry. Both customers and communities benefit from Extra Space Storageʹs professional approach to storage. Featuring attractive, convenient and secure facilities operated by professional managers, Extra Space Storage seeks to change the association of self-storage as a temporary holding place for rarely-used things to a desirable, safe, and customer-oriented facility perfectly suited for maintaining and accessing valued personal and business possessions.

Extra Space Storage Inc., headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, is a fully integrated, self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust that owns and⁄or operates 870 self-storage properties in 34 states and Washington, D.C. The Companyʹs properties are comprised of approximately 550,000 units and over 59 million square feet of rentable space, offering customers a wide selection of conveniently located and secure storage solutions across the country, including boat storage, RV storage and business storage. The Company is the second largest owner and⁄or operator of self-storage properties in the United States and is the largest self-storage management company in the United States.

The preservation of this brand is of paramount importance to Extra Space in all aspects of its operations, including and especially on the Internet. Operating the brand as a gTLD will likely be an important part of its digital strategy in the future. Extra Space will be analyzing and evaluating other .BRAND gTLD applications as well as general market adoption to determine short and long-term potential best-in-class use case options to most effectively serve and enhance Extra Space’s online strategy as a leader in the self storage market.

The intended future mission and purpose of the .EXTRASPACE gTLD is to serve as a trusted, hierarchical, and intuitive namespace provided by Extra Space and its qualified affiliates, for Extra Space customers. Extra Space will be the entity to file this application and bring the .EXTRASPACE gTLD to market.

Although ICANN has not specifically recognized a .BRAND gTLD specification in the current round, it is widely anticipated in the brand community that this will become a specialty subset of gTLDs. .EXTRASPACE is intended to be one of those .BRAND gTLDs, with the goal of protecting Extra Space’s online presence and identity, expanding its marketing and promotion efforts, providing a secure channel for online products and services.

Extra Space intends to initially limit registration and use of domain names within the .EXTRASPACE gTLD to Extra Space and its qualified affiliates. This initial limited use will allow Extra Space to establish its operations and achieve full sustainability. This limited distribution coupled with the other requirements set forth in Specification 9 of the Template Registry Agreement is intended to exempt Extra Space from its annual Code of Conduct Compliance requirements.

Extra Space currently plans a three-stage rollout for Extra Space’s gTLD(s):

1. Stage One

The initial stage of implementation of the gTLD will involve Extra Space registering a limited number of .EXTRASPACE second-level domain names.

This initial use will provide Extra Space’s IT and security personnel the time to run a number of tests to ensure seamless and secure access using the .EXTRASPACE gTLD domain names, interoperability with various software and Web-based applications, and unbroken and secure use of all names. This initial allocation will also allow the appropriate Extra Space staff to coordinate with the internal and external staff responsible for the application, delegation and setup phases of the .EXTRASPACE gTLD to ensure a proper transition from delegation to full operation.

2. Stage Two

Once all testing has been successfully completed, Extra Space will begin allocating domain names in .EXTRASPACE for more widespread internal corporate use. During this same period of time, Extra Space will begin evaluating strategies to potential migrate traffic away from its existing second-level domain names.

It is in Stage Two that Extra Space will evaluate expanding the operations of the gTLD to permit registration by other registrants such as licensees or other strategic parties. Should an assessment of its expansion strategy lead to a decision to extend registration rights to other parties, this expansion is currently planned to take place during Stage Three. However, any expansion would be conditioned upon a review of the Specification 9 (Registry Code of Conduct) set forth in the template registry agreement to ensure compliance with Extra Space’s business model.

3. Stage Three

Depending upon the analysis of the evaluations undertaken in Stage Two, Extra Space may begin to implement the migration of Internet traffic away from Extra Space’s legacy domain names, and toward the Extra Space gTLD. It is in this stage that Extra Space also may implement its decision to extend registration rights to licensees or strategic parties, depending upon compliance with Specification 9 as noted above. The dates of such expansion are subject to change depending upon business, strategic, and industry factors at the time.

After consideration of the following factors: analysis of Extra Space’s existing domain name portfolio; internal analysis of marketing initiatives; and the fact that Extra Space will have full control over the number of registrations in the .EXTRASPACE gTLD namespace, Extra Space is confident that the number of domain name registrations will be less than 3,000 in the first five years of operation.

Based on its experience to the end of Year 5, and based on its experience with any expansion implemented in Stage Three, Extra Space will assess whether its business plan and any future expansion strategy. It is anticipated by Extra Space that changes to the domain name industry, and particularly the impact of .BRAND gTLDs, will take at least five years to be realized and assessed. Any decision to expand the gTLDs beyond corporate, qualified subsidiary and affiliate, and licensee use will take into account this experience as well as the technical analysis of potential expansion.

The potential use of the .EXTRASPACE gTLD by these or other business segments will also be driven by Extra Space’s future business strategies as identified in its annual report and investor filings.
gTLDFull Legal NameE-mail suffixDetail
.NORTHWESTERNMUTUALNorthwestern Mutual Registry, LLCfairwindspartners.comView
Mission and Purpose of .NORTHWESTERNMUTUAL

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (“Northwestern Mutual”) is a mutual company serving the insurance and investment needs of more than three million clients, offering a variety of financial services throughout the United States. Northwestern Mutual’s online content is viewable in the .COM, .NET, .BIZ, .INFO, .JOBS, .TEL, .MOBI, and .ORG gTLDs, and also in the .US ccTLD. In order to apply for the .NORTHWESTERNMUTUAL gTLD, Northwestern Mutual has selected its subsidiary company, Northwestern Mutual Registry, LLC (“Northwestern Mutual Registry”), as the entity to file this application and bring the .NORTHWESTERNMUTUAL gTLD to market. Northwestern Mutual Registry is a wholly owned subsidiary of Northwestern Mutual.

Ranked 112 on the Fortune 500, Northwestern Mutual is the largest direct provider of individual life insurance in the United States and has received the highest possible financial strength ratings awarded to any life insurer by four of the major credit rating agencies. Northwestern Mutual’s portfolio of financial services includes: life insurance, long-term care insurance, disability insurance, annuities, mutual funds, and employee benefit services, among others.

The intended future mission and purpose of the .NORTHWESTERNMUTUAL gTLD is to serve as a trusted and intuitive namespace provided by Northwestern Mutual Registry for Northwestern Mutual and its subsidiaries in order to serve its current and future clients and policyowners. However, to date there has not been enough time, and currently there is not enough market information available, to fully analyze and evaluate all potential use case options.

Northwestern Mutual will be analyzing general market adoption to determine short- and long-term potential best-in-class use case options to most effectively serve and enhance Northwestern Mutual’s online strategy.

Although ICANN has not specifically recognized a .BRAND gTLD specification in the current version of the Applicant Guidebook, it is widely anticipated within the brand-owner community that this will become a specialty subset of gTLDs. The .NORTHWESTERNMUTUAL gTLD is planned as a .BRAND gTLD, with the goal of protecting Northwestern Mutual’s online presence and identity; expanding its marketing and promotion efforts; providing a secure channel for online products and services; and offering a platform through which to consolidate many of the intellectual property activities of Northwestern Mutual.

Northwestern Mutual Registry intends to initially limit registration and use of domain names within the .NORTHWESTERNMUTUAL gTLD to Northwestern Mutual and its qualified subsidiaries and affiliates. This initial limited use will allow Northwestern Mutual Registry to establish its operations and achieve full sustainability. This limited distribution, coupled with the other requirements set forth in Specification 9 of the template Registry Agreement, is intended to exempt Northwestern Mutual Registry from its annual Code of Conduct Compliance requirements.

After Stage Two (see below), Northwestern Mutual Registry and Northwestern Mutual will evaluate whether opportunities exist to carry out the business strategy for the gTLD through expansion that continues the registry’s sustainable operations through fee-based registrations to parties other than Northwestern Mutual and its qualified subsidiaries and affiliates.

Northwestern Mutual Registry currently plans a four-stage rollout for the .NORTHWESTERNMUTUAL gTLD. The dates of these stages are subject to change depending upon business, strategic, and industry factors at the time.

1. Stage One
The initial stage of implementation of the gTLD will involve Northwestern Mutual registering a limited number of .NORTHWESTERNMUTUAL second-level domain names.

This initial use will provide Northwestern Mutual’s IT and security personnel the time to run a number of tests to ensure seamless and secure access using the .NORTHWESTERNMUTUAL gTLD domain names, interoperability with various software and Web-based applications, and unbroken and secure use of all names. This initial allocation will also allow the appropriate Northwestern Mutual Registry staff to coordinate with the internal and external staff responsible for the delegation and setup phases of the .NORTHWESTERNMUTUAL gTLD to ensure a proper transition from delegation to full operation.

2. Stage Two
Once all testing has been successfully completed, Northwestern Mutual Registry will begin allocating domain names in .NORTHWESTERNMUTUAL to Northwestern Mutual and potentially its qualified subsidiaries and affiliates for more widespread internal corporate use. During this same period of time, Northwestern Mutual will begin evaluating strategies to potentially migrate traffic away from its current patchwork network of second-level domain names, which are registered in a variety of TLDs, to the .NORTHWESTERNMUTUAL gTLD.

It is also in Stage Two that Northwestern Mutual will evaluate expanding the operations of the gTLD to permit registration by other registrants such as licensees or strategic partners. Should an assessment of its expansion strategy lead to a decision to extend registration rights to other parties, this expansion is currently planned to take place during Stage Three. However, any expansion would be conditioned upon a review of the Specification 9 (Registry Code of Conduct) set forth in the template Registry Agreement to ensure compliance with Northwestern Mutual Registry’s business model.

3. Stage Three
Depending on the analysis of the evaluations undertaken in Stage Two, Northwestern Mutual Registry may implement the permanent migration of Internet traffic away from the TLDs in which Northwestern Mutual’s domain names are currently registered, and toward the .NORTHWESTERNMUTUAL gTLD. It is in this stage that Northwestern Mutual Registry also may implement Northwestern Mutual’s decision to extend registration rights to licensees or strategic parties, depending upon compliance with Specification 9 as noted above.

After consideration of the following factors: analysis of Northwestern Mutual’s existing domain name portfolio; internal analysis of marketing initiatives; and the fact that Northwestern Mutual will have full control over the number of registrations in the .NORTHWESTERNMUTUAL gTLD namespace, Northwestern Mutual Registry is confident that the number of domain name registrations will be less than 10,000 in the first five years of operation.

4. Stage Four
Based on its experience with any expansion implemented in Stage Three, Northwestern Mutual Registry and Northwestern Mutual will assess whether its business plan and expansion strategy should be augmented by extending registration rights to a broader class of licensees, including potential clients and policyowners of Northwestern Mutual. It is anticipated by Northwestern Mutual that changes to the domain name industry, and particularly the impact of .BRAND gTLDs, will take at least five years to be realized and assessed. Any decision to expand the gTLDs beyond corporate, qualified subsidiary⁄affiliate, and licensee use will take into account this experience as well as the technical analysis of potential expansion.

Utilizing current projections based upon Northwestern Mutual’s existing businesses, future business plans, current domain name portfolio, and other strategic factors, Northwestern Mutual Registry estimates second-level domain name registrations to be in line with the projections set forth in the response to Question 46 of this application.