.seat New gTLD Application
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New gTLD Application Submitted to ICANN by: SEAT, S.A. (Sociedad Unipersonal)
String: seat
Originally Posted: 13 June 2012
Application ID: 1-1879-27918
Applicant Information
- Full legal name
SEAT, S.A. (Sociedad Unipersonal)
- Address of the principal place of business
Autovía A-2, Km. 585
Martorell Barcelona 08760
ES
- Phone number
+34 93 708 5000
- Fax number
+34 93 708 5528
- If applicable, website or URL
http:⁄⁄www.seat.es
Primary Contact
6(a). Name
Mr. Amadeu Abril i Abril
6(b). Title
Consultant
6(c). Address
6(d). Phone Number
+34 610 262 338
6(e). Fax Number
+41 229295745
6(f). Email Address
Secondary Contact
7(a). Name
Mr. Werner Staub
7(b). Title
Coordinator of the Permanent Secretariat
7(c). Address
7(d). Phone Number
+41 22 7006503
7(e). Fax Number
+41 229295745
7(f). Email Address
Proof of Legal Establishment
8(a). Legal form of the Applicant
Sociedad Anónima Unipersonal (Single Member Corporation)
8(b). State the specific national or other jursidiction that defines the type of entity identified in 8(a).
SEAT, S.A. is subject to the Real Decreto Legislativo 1⁄2010, de 2 de julio, por el que se aprueba el texto refundido de la Ley de Sociedades de Capital, and any other applicable law.
8(c). Attach evidence of the applicant's establishment.
Attachments are not displayed on this form.
9(a). If applying company is publicly traded, provide the exchange and symbol.
9(b). If the applying entity is a subsidiary, provide the parent company.
SEAT, S.A. (Sociedad Unipersonal) is a subsidiary of VOLKSWAGEN INTERNATIONAL FINANCE N.V
9(c). If the applying entity is a joint venture, list all joint venture partners.
Applicant Background
11(a). Name(s) and position(s) of all directors
Francisco Javier García Sanz Miembro del Consejo de Administración (Member of the Board of Directors)
James Morys Muir Miembro del Consejo de Administración (Member of the Board of Directors)
Klaus-Gerhard Wolpert Miembro del Consejo de Administración (Member of the Board of Directors)
Martin Mahlke Miembro del Consejo de Administración (Member of the Board of Directors)
Matthias Siegfried Müller Miembro del Consejo de Administración (Member of the Board of Directors)
11(b). Name(s) and position(s) of all officers and partners
11(c). Name(s) and position(s) of all shareholders holding at least 15% of shares
11(d). For an applying entity that does not have directors, officers, partners, or shareholders: Name(s) and position(s) of all individuals having legal or executive responsibility
Applied-for gTLD string
- Provide the applied-for gTLD string. If an IDN, provide the U-label.
seat
14(a). If an IDN, provide the A-label (beginning with "xn--").
14(b). If an IDN, provide the meaning or restatement of the string in English, that is, a description of the literal meaning of the string in the opinion of the applicant.
14(c). If an IDN, provide the language of the label (in English).
14(c). If an IDN, provide the language of the label (as referenced by ISO-639-1).
14(d). If an IDN, provide the script of the label (in English).
14(d). If an IDN, provide the script of the label (as referenced by ISO 15924).
14(e). If an IDN, list all code points contained in the U-label according to Unicode form.
15(a). If an IDN, Attach IDN Tables for the proposed registry.
Attachments are not displayed on this form.
15(b). Describe the process used for development of the IDN tables submitted, including consultations and sources used.
15(c). List any variant strings to the applied-for gTLD string according to the relevant IDN tables.
- Describe the applicant's efforts to ensure that there are no known operational or rendering problems concerning the applied-for gTLD string. If such issues are known, describe steps that will be taken to mitigate these issues in software and other applications.
Q16 - Operational or Rendering Considerations with Regard to the gTLD String
The .seat Registry (and CORE Internet Council of Registrars as its technical provider) ensured that there are no known operational or rendering problems concerning the applied-for gTLD string ʺseatʺ.
Since the gTLD string ʺseatʺ is an ASCII-only string, it is safe to assume that, just like with existing ASCII-only TLD strings like .com, .net or .de, no operational or rendering problems may be expected. In particular, the name consists only of ASCII characters that are already used for existing top level domains; all the characters in the name are even used in the leftmost position of existing TLD labels. In order to confirm this, CORE Internet Council of Registrars conducted a thorough research regarding whether operational or rendering issues occurred for any existing ASCII-only top level domain in the past. The results of this research confirmed the assumption.
Since the registry does not support right-to-left scripts on the second level, bi-directional issues (like the ones described at http:⁄⁄stupid.domain.name⁄node⁄683) will not occur.
Moreover, the gTLD string exclusively uses characters from a single alphabet, does not contain digits or hyphens, and it contains characters that are not subject to homograph issues, which means there is no potential for confusion with regard to the rendering of other TLD strings.
Finally, CORE Internet Council of Registrars set up a testing environment for the .seat TLD using the CORE Registration System, including an EPP SRS, Whois and DNS servers, in order to conduct a series of tests involving typical use cases (like web site operation and e-mail messaging) for a TLD. The tests revealed no operational or rendering issues with any popular software (web browsers, e-mail clients) or operating systems.
- (OPTIONAL) Provide a representation of the label according to the International Phonetic Alphabet (http://www.langsci.ucl.ac.uk/ipa/).
Mission/Purpose
18(a). Describe the mission/purpose of your proposed gTLD.
Q18a- Mission ⁄ Purpose
SEAT S.A.U. (SEAT), a car manufacturing company part of the Volkswagen Group, is submitting the application of the .seat TLD for its own exclusive use.
The .seat TLD is the new domain name specifically designated for the automotive Spanish-based international brand SEAT, which is nowadays the indisputable leader within the Spanish market.
The goals of a .seat TLD are:
- To facilitate digital communications between the brand, its providers and customers,
- To strengthen the image of SEAT in the on-line world,
- To unify the brand in the digital world,
- To facilitate access to the company information for users,
- To improve customer security, trust and loyalty,
- To control the Internet presence,
- New marketing opportunities,
- New business opportunities,
- To enhance brand recognition,
- To increase the value of the company, and hence, the brand.
This is to be achieved by:
- Creating a platform between prospects, clients, brands & dealerships,
- Creating an integrated virtual and physical sales channel,
- Creating homogenized dealership websites.
SEAT is an international-minded and innovation-focused company that belongs to the Volkswagen Group and it is present in the majority of market segments, with a wide range of own designs, characterized by their strong personality and their Mediterranean style. SEAT has clearly seen that the new domains represent a transformative opportunity to reinforce the brand strategically and SEAT willing to take advantage of it.
The company is well aware of what this shift from address centric to identity-centric TLD architecture carries since it has been following with interest ICANN’s new gTLD program since its inception, and has gathered the required intelligence to adopt an educated decision. SEAT understands the opportunities and the responsibility of what the gTLD process implies, and is fully committed to run a piece of Internet infrastructure through the .seat TLD.
SEAT has always been an innovative company in the Internet area, continuously investing to be up to date with the last trends. Therefore, acquiring a Top Level Domain opens a new world of opportunities and will create a competitive advantage for the business. One of the keys of the company’s success factors, is that SEAT maintains a brand coherence based on its proximity as an Spanish brand in order to transmit the brand’s values. Indeed the .seat TLD is a perfect vehicle to transmit these esteems.
The SEAT concept is a result of the interrelation between a quality product of unique design with a coherent and unified brand image and marketing. The brand’s worldwide advertising campaigns under its own Top Level Domain will showcase the company as a pioneer within the sector on the Internet and will improve its current number of web visits which verges upon 23 million within the EU.
18(b). How do you expect that your proposed gTLD will benefit registrants, Internet users, and others?
Q18b
- What is the goal of your proposed gTLD in terms of areas of specialty, service levels, or reputation?
Reputation
Indisputably, a .seat Top Level Domain will strengthen the brand and will enhance its recognition internationally which will naturally increase the value of the company as a result.
Specialty
The proposed TLD will also reinforce the company’s strategic positioning by offering high-end customized online services branded under SEAT’s own TLD, which will leverage the brand equity and differentiate the company online from the company’s targeted competitors.
Service levels
With the proposed TLD, SEAT pretends to create a platform between prospects, clients, brands and dealerships by:
* Integrated virtual and physical sales channel
* New homogenized dealer websites
- What do you anticipate your proposed gTLD will add to the current space, in terms of competition, differentiation, or innovation?
The .seat TLD will create a name space specific for the SEAT brand and it is intended to innovate with new business models. This new space will not only distinguish the brand placing the company as a pioneer within the automotive industry, but will help reaching new potential customers as well as expanding SEAT’s target market.
Innovation
The .seat TLD will be a significant amplifier of the brand’s branding and marketing efforts by creating innovative marketing programs for customers, partners and suppliers. These programs can generate new revenue streams, stronger customer loyalty and will bring the brand closer to the partners. SEAT’s main objective is to become the leader brand within the automotive sector in Spain throughout the reinforcement of the preference of potential buyers and the fidelity of its clients. Some of the actions that SEAT has undertaken will cohabit in perfect harmony with SEAT’s own Top Level Domain, which will be an excellent vehicle to carry them on and put them in practice in the digital world:
* Reinforce the concept of proximity of national brand
* Amplify the product range targeted to new segments under the .seat TLD label
* Create new strategies and creative concepts throughout the different channels.
* Redefinition of the club SEAT as a link with existing clients.
* Be the referent brand in the utilization of new channels.
* Adaptation to the current market situation with special communication campaigns
Efforts to explore the possibilities to strengthen relationships with current business partners, dealerships and suppliers will be undertaken by SEAT through the Single Registrant Single User structure.
Differentiation
By owning SEAT’s own Top Level Domain, the brand will have an entire TLD space that will be controlled exclusively by the company, and will have an unlimited selection of website domain names to market the brand according to its communications strategies and priorities.
The .seat TLD will also be used for product branding, a lengthy procedure on traditional media and centric addresses, has a new array opportunities with the identity-centric TLD. SEAT will be able not only to promote the brand but also its cars, targeting them as follows:
exeo.seat
mii.seat
Ibiza.seat
toledo.seat
Competition
SEAT is passionate perfectionists and emotional technologists. SEAT gives design a purpose, brings technology to life and thinks ahead its competitors by being a constant innovation company.
One of SEAT’s key differentiators from competition with its own Top Level Domain, is that the brand name will be secured at the top level of the Internet hierarchy. This will allow SEAT to differentiate itself on the Internet and maximize its online marketing activities, expand the company’s distribution channels and innovate with new business models that will divert into a natural increase of sales and improvement of brand recognition.
Finally, the .seat TLD will help to create a powerful, secured community, which can assist in combating against counterfeiting and cybersquatting abuse as well as to protection, manage and monetize Intellectual Property digital assets (trademarks and copyrights).
- What goals does your proposed gTLD have in terms of user experience?
Compared to most existing TLDs, the .seat TLD user experience will greatly enhance predictability and memorability of domain names.
Users will have greater comfort on the context of naming variants (redirected to the canonical forms) will systematically be activated. Clients and potential customers seeking for information will be able to get accustomed to the predictability of .seat domain names. As a result, they also avoid stumbling upon typo-squatting, robotized pay-per-click traps or domain-for-sale pages.
.seat TLD will simplify the way their customers find information about the company on the Internet by creating a more easy and understandable web address and will drive customers into deeper levels of engagement with the brand. This engagement can increase:
* affinity,
* ease of use
* customer service efficacy
* sales
The .seat TLD will give services of virtual communities to their clients. All keywords related to the brand will be assigned in an organized and controlled framework where users will get immersed in a truly branded experience driven by the company’s vocation for unquestionable quality, beautiful aesthetics exciting experiences, innovation and the brand’s greatest value: success.
The .seat TLD will provide shorter URLs to their digital customers who look for ways to make their browsing and linking experience more streamlined and will offer user services via online portals which will customize the customer experience to an unprecedented degree by offering URLs.
Social media will of course play a crucial role within the introduction and promotion of the string to the name space scenario and therefore the branding exercise, throughout the global but also local social networks, will be fundamental for a truly user experience of the new extension.
- Provide a complete description of the applicant’s intended registration policies in support of the goals listed above.
The .seat TLD will be for the exclusive use of Seat and its Affiliates for the Group’s services and purposes. SEAT does not contemplate at this stage opening the registration to any third party. Therefore, the mandatory registration agreement will refer to the following terms and conditions:
- a) Eligibility: The registrant will be SEAT or any Affiliate.
- b) Name selection: .seat domain name registrations must be related to SEAT services and products.
- c) Use and content: .seat domain names may only be used in relationship to SEAT or its Affiliates’ services and purposes, subject to the approval of SEAT. Domain names used must be commensurate to the role and importance of SEAT services.
Considering that,
(i) SEAT will register and maintain all domain name registrations within .seat for its own exclusive use, and that
(ii) SEAT will not sell, distribute or transfer control or use of any registrations in .seat to any third party that is not an Affiliate of SEAT, and that;
(iii) Application of the Registry Operator Code of Conduct contained in Specification 9 of the Base gTLD Registry Agreement to .seat is not necessary to protect the public interest;
SEAT will request the exemption to the above mentioned Registry Operator Code of Conduct, and expects ICANN to grant such exemption as Seat provides reasonable satisfaction of the conditions hereof expressed. SEAT may in the future consider extending the use of domain names for employees, customers and partners, but this is not foreseen neither allowed in the current description of the registration policies.
- 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.
SEAT recognizes first-hand that this is a relevant issue and an evolving area of law in which there is no international standard. The protection of privacy and confidential information of registrants and users will comply with applicable Law, in particular the European Data Protection framework and the Catalan and Spanish Personal Data Protection legislation, as well as any ICANN requirements in the area.
Nevertheless, the specific model of the .seat TLD and the registration policies as described above limit to a great extent the possible concerns on privacy, as no third parties and even less individuals will be allowed to register .seat names.
- Describe whether and in what ways outreach and communications will help to achieve your projected benefits.
Outreach and communications will be entirely done in-house for internal communication to inform SEAT’s stakeholders. Externally, outreach and communication efforts will be focused on advertising campaigns in the various existing media with strong emphasis on digital media and via point-of-sale to inform the general public following their globally integrated, coherent and unified brand strategy which will prove their capability of adapting to change, which is one of their keys for their commercial success and their international prestige.
18(c). What operating rules will you adopt to eliminate or minimize social costs?
Q18c
As explained in the registration policies above, the .seat TLD will only be open to registrations by SEAT and its Affiliates. And the domain names will only be used for SEAT’s legitimate services and products in a way that is commensurate to their role and importance within SEAT’s strategy.
These rules guarantee that the no costs need to be borne by trademark and other intellectual property rights owners in monitoring the .seat zone and protecting against abuses from registrations. This similarly applies to personal names, geographic names, Inter Governmental Organizations based in an International Treaty, and in general, any third parties interested in protecting their identity.
The .seat TLD’s uses related to the financial activities of SEAT and its Affiliates will have a positive effect on security, both on SEAT’s own customers and over the Internet as a whole as it will greatly reduce the risks of effective phishing, or any other malicious conduct, a serious concern for the financial sector.
Answers should address the following points:
- How will multiple applications for a particular domain name be resolved, for example, by auction or on a first-come⁄first- serve basis?
Being the .seat TLD for the exclusive Use of SEAT and its Affiliates, first-come, first served will be the only available and reasonably possible, should multiple applications for the same domain name happen, as unlikely as this appears for this TLD model.
- Explain any cost benefits for registrants you intend to implement (e.g., advantageous pricing, introductory discounts, bulk registration discounts).
In a model in which the Registry is the sole and exclusive registrant of the domain names in the TLD, SEAT does not believe that it makes sense to apply any such pricing measure.
- Note that the Registry Agreement requires that registrars be offered the option to obtain initial domain name registrations for periods of one to ten years at the discretion of the registrar, but no greater than ten years. Additionally, the Registry Agreement requires advance written notice of price increases. Do you intend to make contractual commitments to registrants regarding the magnitude of price escalation? If so, please describe your plans.
In accordance to Specification 9, point 6 of the Base gTLD Registry Agreement, as published in Module 5 of the Applicant Guidebook, SEAT, taking into account that will operate the SEAT for its exclusive use, will request an exemption to the Registry Operator Code of Conduct contained in Specification 9 of the Base gTLD Registry Agreement. SEAT does not intend to provide any special contractual commitments to registrants, as the only allowed registrants will be SEAT and its Affiliates.
Other than that, SEAT will comply with any of the TLD Registry Agreement’s obligations, such as offering registration of domain names for periods of one to ten years, and the pricing provisions as contained in the Agreement.