18(b) How do you expect that your proposed gTLD will benefit registrants, Internet users, and others?

Prototypical answer:

BENEFITS TO REGISTRANTS AND INTERNET USERS

The following four goals have been identified as goals of the .movie TLD:

1. WIDER CHOICE OF STRING

The .movie TLD will provide movie producers and studios with a wider choice of domain name availability. The increased volume and clutter within existing TLDs has resulted in many strings becoming unavailable due to multiple competing interests seeking the same or similar strings. The result has been a dilution of choice and a necessity to settle for less-than-optimal domain name registrations. As movie titles are constructed with marketing potential in mind, the lack of domain name availability within the current gTLD environment has significantly limited options for the representation of movie titles and franchised movie brands within the online environment.

Such problems are addressed by the new gTLD program, and the .movie new gTLD will benefit the movie industry through an increased availability of domain names.

2. IMPROVED RECALL OF MESSAGE

Movie titles are designed to be delivered to the intended consumer audience with maximum impact. However, the current TLD environment often dilutes the ability to represent movie titles intuitively via second level domain names. The introduction of the .movie TLD will increase the availability of domain names, which will in turn benefit movie producers in their attempts to streamline marketing messages for movie titles or back catalogues. Domain names that mirror movie titles exactly will not only improve the efficiency of marketing messages and recall of advertising activity, but increase the potential for a movie’s website to be found via direct navigation within the online environment. A namespace such as .movie will be of great benefit to internet users and registrants, given that the purpose of most movie related websites is to promote the movie itself. As more internet users navigate to domains within the .movie TLD, the registrant’s opportunities to communicate with users improve and increase.

3. IDENTIFIABLE ONLINE DESTINATION

The .movie TLD will create a valuable online location for content related to movies and the movie industry. The registrant eligibility criterion supports this value proposition: by limiting eligibility to entities that are able to provide a Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) number (or equivalent), the .movie TLD will quickly become the definitive online location of movie-related material presented and marketed by movie producers. This maintains a standard of purpose for the TLD and serves to build trust in the content that is presented under the .movie TLD.

Currently, movie producers are competing for URLs in crowded TLDs such as .com. Even if a representative URL is secured, it would not be identified as a movie without adding some reference in the URL. Take for example the recent movie The Hunger Games. The obvious URL within the current TLD environment is www.thehungergames.com. However, this takes the user to a site dedicated to the original book by Suzanne Collins. If the producer attempts to identify the URL as representative of the newly released movie, using www.thehungergames-movie.com, or www.hungergamesthemovie.com, it is unlikely to aid in navigation or end user confidence in the content they will find, as neither option is an established protocol. Under the .movie TLD, the URL could be www.thehungergames.movie, which is clearly representative of the product segment, is easier to recall and builds trust in the content that is presented underneath the TLD.

4. REPUTATION AS A RELIABLE ONLINE DESTINATION

The .movie TLD will appeal to movie producers through the provision of a dedicated namespace that increases the likelihood of domain name registrations that reflect a particular movie title or series. Internet users will be easily able to find relevant content under the domain. These attributes combine to create a reputation for .movie as a trusted, reliable and user friendly online space.

User experience under .movie will reflect the TLD’s reputation as a valued source of movie-related content. The eligibility criterion has been established to ensure the support of this value proposition. The hurdle of an eligibility requirement will serve to maintain the integrity of those producers applying for domain names under the .movie TLD, ultimately increasing the commercial value of domain names registered in comparison to unrestricted gTLD namespaces.

Amongst Internet users, the industry-focused nature of the TLD is likely to further increase direct navigation to .movie domains. Users will be able to navigate to content under the TLD knowing that material presented on a web site is related to the subject matter in question.

ANTICIPATED CONTRIBUTION TO THE CURRENT SPACE

IMPROVED COMPETITION

The .movie TLD will add a significant level of competition to the market for domain name registrations, given that movie producers and studios currently gravitate to the crowded .com TLD as the default domain name for online identification and marketing. The introduction of the .movie TLD will improve competition within the domain space through the provision of a relevant, intuitive TLD option that addresses the challenge of availability for those charged with bringing a movie to the marketplace.

DIFFERENTIATION

The .movie TLD is differentiated from market-dominant existing TLDs through its specified and targeted alignment with the movie industry. Through the introduction of restricted eligibility criteria, the .movie TLD will deliver industry-specific, relevant content in a clearer and more efficient way than is currently experienced in the gTLD space.

The .movie TLD will dedicate a space within the internet to the movie industry. This unique focus sets it apart from existing TLDs and delivers a clear and succinct value proposition to the intended audience.

Over time, the eligibility criteria will enhance public acceptance of the .movie TLD as the only validated namespace for the movie industry.

REGISTRATION POLICIES IN SUPPORT OF THE .movie TLD

Only eligible registrants will be able to register second level domain names in the .movie TLD. Registrations will be provided under .movie only upon the provision of an MPAA number or equivalent form of identification. Registrants will be required to warrant their satisfaction of the eligibility criteria. Ineligible registrations will be considered abusive and thus fall within the scope of the Anti-Abuse Policy, which is set out in the response to Question 28. Additional, non-sensitive registrant information pertinent to the registration, such as movie title, country of origin, premier date and genre, will also be provided to reduce the risk of fraudulent registration.

As set out in the registration policy and described in more detail in Question 18(c), the .movie TLD will launch with a sunrise round that will provide an opportunity for trademark holders meeting the eligibility restrictions of the TLD to register domain names. Upon the close of the sunrise round, the .movie TLD will be open for registrations from all eligible registrants, first during a landrush period with competing applications resolved by auction, and then in general availability on a first-come⁄first-served basis. Launch and ongoing rights protection mechanism implementation is described in detail in the response to Question 29.

PROTECTION OF PRIVACY AND CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION

In support of and consistent with the mission and purpose of the .movie TLD, the protection of privacy and confidential information will be a priority in this TLD. The TLD will be operated in accordance with all relevant Australian State and Commonwealth legislation, including the Privacy Act 1988 (Commonwealth) and the National Privacy Principles (Commonwealth). In addition, all security measures, policies and practices required by ICANN under the Registry Agreement will be implemented in the .movie TLD.

A Privacy Policy will be developed and put into place to protect registrants Internet users’ personal data. Registrars will be required to secure in their Registration Agreements registrants’ consent to the use of registration information by the registrar in the operation of the registry, disclosure to ICANN or in response to a request from a law enforcement agency. This agreement will be supported by and make reference to the .movie Privacy Policy, which will require that measures are in place to prevent disclosure of registrant contact information to third parties other than through WhoIs or to comply with contractual obligations to ICANN and instructions received from validated law enforcement agencies. These disclosure mechanisms, which are intended to prevent and mitigate abuse in the TLD, are described in detail in the response to Question 28.

Consistent with Specification 4 of the Registry Agreement, a publicly available WhoIs will be provided to enable Internet users to query a domain name’s registrant, contact details and status. Users will be required to abide by terms and conditions relating to the appropriate use of this facility.

OUTREACH AND COMMUNICATIONS ACTIVITIES

The .movie TLD will be supported by an aggressive marketing strategy that will raise awareness and understanding of the TLD within the broader movie production community. The main marketing activity will be outsourced, and will comprise such things as:
- brand development
- strategy planning and development
- target audience segmentation and research
- website development and digital strategy
- sales collateral
- public relations
- advertising
- sponsorship
- Registrar and Registrant awareness and engagement activities
- Registrar co-operative marketing activities
- media exposure

Supplemental to this, sponsorship and public relations will play an important role in building a connection between the .movie TLD and the movie production industry. The General Manager and Registry Liaison⁄Business Development Manager of the .movie TLD will be responsible for engaging major players in the movie industry such as studios, distributors, leading websites, and the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), as well as working with the domain name industry to develop awareness and promote benefits of the .movie TLD.

Similar gTLD applications: (2)