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
.MERCK	Merck Registry Holdings, Inc.	fairwindspartners.com	View

18.2 How do you expect that your proposed gTLD will benefit registrants, Internet users, and others?

MRH believes that the proposed .MERCK 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, MRH anticipates that .MERCK 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 .MERCK gTLD can also minimize the cost and need for defensive registrations because domain names within the .MERCK gTLD will initially only be allocated by MRH 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 .MERCK 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 .MERCK 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, MRH believes that the .MERCK 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 MRH’s parent company, MSD, continues to expand its product offerings and research areas, the company has considered using .MERCK 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 MRH and its parent company, MSD, and the .MERCK 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 .MERCK 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 .MERCK 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 .MERCK gTLD. Using this benchmark, MRH 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. MRH’s parent, MSD, is a leading healthcare company that leverages emerging technologies to deliver healthcare information, products, and services internationally.

The .MERCK 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?

MRH believes that the .MERCK 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, MRH will have best-in-class safeguards to minimize any potential infringing or pirated content within the .MERCK 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 .MERCK 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. MRH reserves the right to consider allowing third party registrants outside of current affiliate or subsidiary relationships to own .MERCK 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.

MRH 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. MRH will take similar precautions to protect registrant and user data associated with the .MERCK 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, MRH has a vested interest in ensuring that accurate and current registrant information is readily available in connection with each .MERCK domain name.

MSD will ensure that the operation of the .MERCK gTLD will be consistent with Merck’s Statement of Privacy Principles, available on its website at http:⁄⁄www.merck.com⁄privacy⁄.

In addition, MRH 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.

MRH plans to start using .MERCK domain names primarily as redirects to existing .COM and other domains that MSD and potentially, MSD’s qualified subsidiaries and affiliates, currently operate. MRH also plans to carefully review the response from search engines to .BRAND gTLDs, and the perception of end users.

As the marketplace evolves, MRH will invest in outreach and communication as needed to ensure that its end-users continue to interact with MRH content, services, and products in a simplified, efficient, and productive manner.