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

gTLDFull Legal NameE-mail suffixDetail
.oracleOracle Corporationoracle.comView
The mission and purpose of the proposed .ORACLE Top Level Domain (TLD) is the creation and operation of a TLD dedicated to the ORACLE businesses, brands, trade marks, goods and services. As such the objective is that the .ORACLE TLD will serve as an official, trusted, secure and dedicated name space for the globally renowned ORACLE brand and services.

To this end the Applicant seeks to launch the .ORACLE TLD and to create and operate an innovative and secure platform in a manner which is consistent with its subject matter whilst committing to the promotion of competition, consumer trust, consumer protection and integrity of the ORACLE TLD and the associated Internet space.

The Applicant is committed to ensure that it fully complies and meets or exceeds the requirements of ICANN in terms of competition, consumer protection, security, stability and resiliency, malicious abuse issues, sovereignty concerns, and rights protection in relation to the expansion of the generic Top Level Domain name space by devising and implementing mechanisms in line with ICANN’s Consensus Policies and Temporary Policies.

The Applicant proposes to launch and operate the .ORACLE TLD to create a new Internet ecosystem dedicated to the Applicant and to enable and facilitate innovations, creation and promotion of new initiatives, platforms, applications and ventures from the Applicant and its Affiliates. The domain name space associated with the .ORACLE TLD will create a new environment which will enhance diversity, choice and utility of the Domain Name System, based on a segmented approach, hence encouraging specialisation, differentiation, consumer recognition, and consumer choice in line with ICANN policy development.

In order to ensure the integrity, success and to build confidence in the .ORACLE TLD and the associated domain name space, the Applicant is dedicated to ensuring that appropriate safeguards are put in place with a view to protecting, among other things, public interest, consumers, trade mark owners and other third party rights owners.

Operating and overseeing this new Internet space in a transparent, fair and efficient manner will be essential to create goodwill in the .ORACLE TLD and to develop confidence and trust in the .ORACLE TLD.

The fact that the Applicant intends to operate the .ORACLE TLD as a single registrant⁄single user registry model will allow the Applicant and its Affiliates to control the operations of the .ORACLE TLD and prevent violation of public interest, trade mark infringement and other types of malicious conducts. The .ORACLE TLD will thus create an environment where opportunities for abuse and malevolent conduct will be virtually eliminated.

Furthermore, the Applicant is dedicated to ensuring that the creation and operation of the .ORACLE TLD will not have an adverse or negative affect on the operational security and stability of the Internet and the Domain Name System.

The .ORACLE TLD will be a continuously evolving platform and serve as a base for innovative uses, content and services with a view to optimising specialisation, high level of service, reliable quality content, consumer trust and innovation.

The Applicant has considered potential uses of the .ORACLE TLD which would include allocating second-level domain names that correspond with:
1. The specialisation areas of the Applicant and its Affiliates, such as:
- SERVERS.ORACLE
- APPLICATIONS.ORACLE

2. Internal management and information, such as:
- CONTENT.ORACLE
- LEGAL.ORACLE

3. Investor relations and corporate portal, such as:
- INVESTOR.ORACLE
- CORPORATEGOVERNANCE.ORACLE

These are some of the potential uses which have been identified as being in line with the operation of the proposed .ORACLE TLD following the single registrant⁄single user registry model. In addition, the Applicant and its Affiliates will actively use and continue to explore new ways of ensuring that the .ORACLE TLD is an environment which is conducive to innovation, consumer choice and recognition, business visibility and specialisation and may in this respect implement additional types of use of the .ORACLE TLD within the scope of the Registry Agreement to be executed before delegation of the .ORACLE TLD.

1.1 THE ORACLE BUSINESS
The Applicant is the Oracle Corporation, a publicly traded corporation in good standing and listed on NASDAQ Stock Market LLC, ticker ORCL, created in 1977 with its headquarters at 500 Oracle Parkway Redwood Shores, CA 94065, USA.
Oracle is the gold standard for database technology and applications in enterprises throughout the world. The Applicant is the worldʹs leading supplier of information management software and the worldʹs second largest independent software company. Oracleʹs complete portfolio of servers, storage, software, and networking products are engineered to work together to deliver performance, simplified management, and cost-saving efficiencies.

Oracle technology can be found in nearly every industry and in the data centres of 100 of the Fortune Global 100 companies.
With more than 380,000 customers and deployments across a wide variety of industries in more than 145 countries around the globe, Oracle offers an optimized and fully integrated stack of business hardware and software systems. Oracleʹs open architecture and multiple operating-system options give customers unmatched benefits from best-of-breed products in every layer of the stack, allowing them to build the best infrastructure for their enterprise.
Oracle’s comprehensive and integrated approach brings tremendous benefit to customers. Oracle is able to provide more innovation more quickly than its competitors because the company coordinates development among all of its engineering teams at all levels of the Oracle product stack. This allows Oracle to move new features and capabilities from development to the marketplace at a rapid pace, and allows customers to get the most out of their technology investments.
Oracle engineers hardware and software to work together in the cloud and in data centres - from servers and storage, to database and middleware, through applications.
For customers needing modular solutions, Oracle’s open architecture and multiple operating system options also give customers unmatched benefits from best-of-breed products in every layer of the stack, allowing them to build the best infrastructure for their enterprise.

1.2 THE ORACLE BRAND

Since its creation in 1977, the Applicant has acquired and constantly developed reputation and goodwill in its ORACLE brand and services worldwide through continuous and significant investment, use and effort.
The Applicant owns numerous trade mark registrations in the term ORACLE worldwide in many classes of goods and services, including but not limited to: computers, computer hardware, a full line of computer software (class 9) a wide array of related goods and services, as well as for user manuals and related printed materials in class 16 and merchandise (in classes 6, 18, 21 and 25), computer related services in classes 35 (business and advertising, trade shows), 36 (financing), 37 (repair and installations), 38, 41 (training), and 42 (programming, consulting, information resources on the internet).
The Applicant has secured trade mark registrations in the term ORACLE in 157 countries and territories. The ORACLE brand is ranked in 20th position in the ʺInterbrand Best Global Brands 2011ʺ list.
The huge popularity and consumer recognition of the ORACLE brand have made Oracle one of the most famous companies and brands in the world. Reflecting its global reach, the Applicant owns numerous domain names consisting of or comprising the term ORACLE in nearly every available gTLD and ccTLD.
The ORACLE brand, trade marks and domain names are invaluable assets and serve to identify the ORACLE business as a trusted source of the highest quality goods and services globally.
gTLDFull Legal NameE-mail suffixDetail
.LINCOLNFord Motor Companyhoganlovells.comView
The mission and purpose of the proposed .LINCOLN Top Level Domain (TLD) is the creation and operation of a TLD dedicated to the businesses, brands, trade marks, goods and services that are associated with the Lincoln name. As such the objective is that the .LINCOLN TLD will serve as an official, trusted, secure and dedicated name space for the globally renowned Lincoln brand and services. To this end the Applicant seeks to launch the .LINCOLN TLD and to create and operate an innovative and secure platform in a manner which is consistent with its subject matter whilst committing to the promotion of competition, consumer trust, consumer protection and integrity of the LINCOLN TLD and the associated Internet space.

The Applicant is committed to ensuring that it fully complies with and meets or exceeds the requirements of ICANN in terms of competition, consumer protection, security, stability and resiliency, malicious abuse issues, sovereignty concerns, and rights protection in relation to the expansion of the generic Top Level Domain (gTLD) name space by devising and implementing mechanisms in line with ICANN’s Consensus Policies and Temporary Policies.

The Applicant proposes to launch and operate the .LINCOLN TLD to create a new Internet ecosystem dedicated to the Applicant and to enable and facilitate innovations, creation and promotion of new initiatives, platforms, applications and ventures from the Applicant and its Affiliates. The domain name space associated with the .LINCOLN TLD will create a new environment which will enhance diversity, choice and utility of the Domain Name System, based on a segmented approach, hence encouraging specialisation, differentiation, consumer recognition, and consumer choice in line with ICANN policy development.

In order to ensure the integrity, success and to build confidence in the .LINCOLN TLD and the associated domain name space, the Applicant is dedicated to ensuring that appropriate safeguards are put in place with a view to protecting, among other things, public interest, consumers, trade mark owners and other third party rights owners.

Operating and overseeing this new Internet space in a transparent, fair and efficient manner will be essential to create goodwill in the .LINCOLN TLD and to develop confidence and trust in the .LINCOLN TLD.

The fact that the Applicant intends to operate the .LINCOLN TLD as a single registrant⁄single user registry model will allow the Applicant and its Affiliates to control the operations of the .LINCOLN TLD and prevent violation of public interest, trade mark infringement and other types of malicious conduct. The .LINCOLN TLD will thus create an environment where opportunities for abuse and malevolent conduct will be virtually eliminated.

Furthermore, the Applicant is dedicated to ensuring that the creation and operation of the .LINCOLN TLD will not have an adverse or negative affect on the operational security and stability of the Internet and the Domain Name System.

The .LINCOLN TLD will be a continuously evolving platform and serve as a base for innovative uses, content and services with a view to optimising specialisation, high level of service, reliable quality content, consumer trust and innovation.

The Applicant has considered potential uses of the .LINCOLN TLD which would include allocating second-level domain names that correspond with:

1. The specialisation areas of the Applicant and its Affiliates, such as:
ACCESSORIES.LINCOLN
HYBRID.LINCOLN

2. Internal management and information, such as:
DEVELOPMENT.LINCOLN
LEGAL.LINCOLN

3. Investor relations and corporate portal, such as:
INVESTOR.LINCOLN
CORPORATEGOVERNANCE.LINCOLN

These are some of the potential uses which have been identified as being in line with the operation of the proposed .LINCOLN TLD following the single registrant⁄single user registry model. In addition, the Applicant and its Affiliates will actively use and continue to explore new ways of ensuring that the .LINCOLN TLD is an environment which is conducive to innovation, consumer choice and recognition, business visibility and specialisation and may in this respect implement additional types of use of the .LINCOLN TLD within the scope of the Registry Agreement to be executed before delegation of the .LINCOLN TLD.

1.1 The Ford business and the Lincoln brand

The Applicant is the Ford Motor Company, a publicly traded corporation in good standing and listed on New York Stock Exchange in the United States (NYSE: F) and on stock exchanges in Belgium and France. A global automotive industry leader, Ford Motor Company is based in Dearborn, Michigan, USA and manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. Ford Motor Companyʹs vehicle brands are Ford and Lincoln.

Ford Motor Company was incorporated in state of Delaware in 1919. It acquired the business of a Michigan company, also known as Ford Motor Company, which had been incorporated in 1903 to produce and sell automobiles designed and engineered by Henry Ford. From these beginnings Ford Motor Company has grown to become one of the largest and most profitable companies in the world.

The Lincoln Motor Company was formed in 1917 and was acquired by Ford Motor Company in 1922 and since that time the LINCOLN brand has been the luxury vehicle of the Ford Motor Company.

Ford Motor Company is a truly global company with a worldwide workforce of approximately 164,000 employees and 69 manufacturing plants worldwide including 35 in North America, 8 in South America, 14 in Europe and 12 in Asia-Pacific and Africa. In addition to this, Ford is building seven new manufacturing plants with four in China, two in India, and one in Thailand.

As such Ford Motor Company is one of the world’s largest producers of cars and trucks and in 2011 the company sold approximately 5,695,000 vehicles at wholesale throughout the world. The net income attributable to Ford Motor Company in 2011 was $20.2 billion.

Ford Motor Company and its affiliates also engage in other businesses, including financing vehicles via its wholly-owned subsidiary Ford Motor Credit Company LLC which offers a wide variety of automotive financing products to and through automotive dealers throughout the world. The majority of Ford Credit’s business consists of financing Ford vehicles and supporting the Ford dealership network.

1.2 The LINCOLN brand
Since its acquisition of the Lincoln Motor Company, the Applicant has acquired and constantly developed reputation and goodwill in its LINCOLN brand and services worldwide through continuous and significant investment, use and effort.

The LINCOLN brand, trade marks and domain names are invaluable assets and serve to identify the Ford Motor Company business as a trusted source of the highest quality goods and services globally.

The Applicant owns hundreds of trade mark registrations worldwide which consist of or contain the term LINCOLN in several classes of goods and services, including but not limited to: class 12 (motor land vehicles, vehicle bodies), and class 37 (maintenance of motor land vehicles).

The Applicant has secured hundreds of trade mark registrations which comprise of or contain the term LINCOLN in over 80 countries and territories.

Reflecting its global reach, the Applicant owns numerous domain names consisting of or including the term LINCOLN across a range of gTLD and ccTLD extensions.

Moreover, the Applicantʹs LINCOLN trade mark and brand has been recognised by the courts in several decisions as ʺwell known throughout much of the worldʺ and is an ʺundoubtedly famous markʺ.