.ABC New gTLD Application
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New gTLD Application Submitted to ICANN by: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
Application Downloaded On: 10 Jun 2015
String: ABC
Application ID: 1-1146-98846
Applicant Information
- Full legal name
Disney Enterprises, Inc.
- Address of the principal place of business
500 South Buena Vista Street, Burbank - 91521 US
- Phone number
+01 818 560 1000
- Fax number
+01 818 553 7210
- If applicable, website or URL
Primary Contact
6(a). Name
Kathy Nolda
6(b). Title
Clearance Manager
6(c). Address
6(d). Phone Number
+1 (818) 931-2609
6(e). Fax Number
6(f). Email Address
Secondary Contact
7(a). Name
Kathy Nolda
7(b). Title
Clearance Manager
7(c). Address
7(d). Phone Number
+1 (818) 931-2609
7(e). Fax Number
7(f). Email Address
Proof of Legal Establishment
8(a). Legal form of the Applicant
corporation
8(b). State the specific national or other jurisdiction that defines the type of entity identified in 8(a).
A corporation incorporated in Delaware, U.S.A.
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.
The Walt Disney Company
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
Name
Position
Jeffrey H. Smith Senior Vice President, Secretary
Marsha L. Reed Secretary
11(b). Name(s) and position(s) of all officers and partners
Name
Position
Alan N. Braverman Senior Executive Vice President
Christine M. McCarthy Executive Vice President, Treasurer
James A. Rasulo Senior Executive Vice President, CFO
Suzanne V. Wilson Vice President and Assistant Secretary
11(c). Name(s) and position(s) of all shareholders holding at least 15% of shares
Name
Position
The Walt Disney Company Not Applicable
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.
ABC
14A. If applying for an IDN, provide the A-label (beginning with "xn--").
14B. 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.
14C1. If an IDN, provide the language of the label (in English).
14C2. If an IDN, provide the language of the label (as referenced by ISO-639-1).
14D1. If an IDN, provide the script of the label (in English).
14D2. If an IDN, provide the script of the label (as referenced by ISO 15924).
14E. If an IDN, list all code points contained in the U-label according to Unicode form.
15A. If an IDN, upload IDN tables for the proposed registry. An IDN table must include:
the applied-for gTLD string relevant to the tables,
the script or language designator (as defined in BCP 47),
table version number,
effective date (DD Month YYYY), and
contact name, email address, and phone number.
Submission of IDN tables in a standards-based format is encouraged.
15B. Describe the process used for development of the IDN tables submitted, including consultations and sources used.
15C. List any variants 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.
There are no known operational or rendering problems concerning the applied-for gTLD string.
- OPTIONAL.
Provide a representation of the label according to the International Phonetic Alphabet (http://www.langsci.ucl.ac.uk/ipa/).
18A. Describe the mission/purpose of your proposed gTLD.
Disney Enterprises, Inc. (“DEI”) is applying for the .ABC global top level domain (“gTLD”). DEI will act as the Registry Operator, and outsource Registry Services to Verisign, Inc. DEI plans to leverage relationships with existing partner Registrars to provide 2nd level domain registration services. DEI will operate a closed gTLD, meaning it will always be the Registrant and not open to third parties to register second level domains. DEI is 100% wholly owned by The Walt Disney Company (“Disney”). DEI has the backing and financial strength of Disney. Disney is the premier global entertainment brand, a Fortune 100 New York Stock Exchange listed company, is included in the Dow Jones Industrial Average, and consistently carries an “A” debt rating with Standard and Poors.
The ABC branded vision is to “super-serve fans with compelling storytelling, digital and social experiences that connect them with entertainment, news and information they love and desire anytime, anywhere.” Acquiring and operating a .ABC gTLD is consistent with and supportive of that vision.
Social media, mobile applications, and emerging innovative technologies are critical for success as the ABC brand continues to expand its business model and reach. Cultivation of new opportunities has proven financially sound for the company as technology and consumer behaviors continue to evolve and expand. As part of a portfolio of diverse investments, DEI continues to fund exploratory business models. One focus area is programming content distributed and marketed over the Internet. Many benefits of securing this gTLD were discussed, some of which are:
1) Improved brand marketing and management
- a) Increased online brand visibility
- b) Shortened and more easily remembered URL strings (i.e. show.abc or partner.abc)
- c) Greater native use in social media sharing
- d) Value-add to advertisers and distributors through new co-branding and marketing opportunities
2) Enhanced security, control, and customer trust
- a) Additional brand protection through control of activity and content within the gTLD
- b) Controlled, customized domain names for affiliates, vendors, and partners
- c) Added layers of protection for brands like ABC that are the frequent target of phishing and other types of online attacks.
3) Better control, understanding and use of data, for DEI and its partners
- a) Expanded user registration, account management and personalization offers new possibilities to track information about users and their choices
- b) Overall better intellectual property data management and reporting
- c) Ability to accrue distributor’s content
The company has many different ideas in the concept stage about how to use .ABC. Until they are more fully analyzed, it is hard to know how many second level domains will be created. The business plan allows for up to 50, at this time, both from a cost and practicality perspective. There are two primary thoughts on how to deploy and develop the new gTLD. One is to provide original show content. For example, the show “Revenge” might have a REVENGE.ABC domain featuring new and⁄or promotional show content with an easy-to-remember domain name address. Another likely use is for specific initiative-based or broad brand marketing and content experiences tied to global strategies, new business opportunities, large-scale promotions and marketing events.
DEI has chosen to outsource the registry service operations to Verisign, the premier registry services provider in the marketplace. Their preeminence will provide DEI a level of performance, reliability and protection the brand requires. Technical and business relationships are strong between DEI and Verisign, and with DEI’s parent company.
The business model plans for .ABC to be a net cost to the company. Labor, marketing, general and administrative, facilities and other costs that already exist can be leveraged and priorities adjusted to utilize existing capacity, therefore minimizing incremental costs. In the financial proformas, a conservative approach was taken, pricing both existing and incremental costs related to the gTLD.
18B. How do you expect that your proposed gTLD will benefit registrants, Internet users, and others?
18(b) How do you expect that your proposed TLD will benefit registrants, Internet users, and others?
The .ABC gTLD may become a valued destination point for Disney Enterprises, Inc. (“DEI”) content viewing, acquisition and distribution. It provides a fully branded string that will be easy to remember, shortened for simple sharing across social media platforms, and have immediate brand awareness in global markets where DEI provides content. With the massive changes in technology and content distribution⁄consumption, the ABC brand has the potential to extend globally, breaking the bounds of just the common terrestrial broadcasting, cable and satellite offerings in the US market. Now anyone in the world can download ABC branded apps on their iPads, iPhones and other mobile devices, and consume ABC branded content. Although it is unknown how the mobile⁄computer⁄”TV” viewing model will evolve, the company believes a crucial component of marketing and consuming ABC branded content will continue to involve and be built upon internet models and protocols.
18(b)(i) What is the goal of your proposed TLD in terms of areas of specialty, service levels, of reputation?
As a part of the implementation strategy, it is critically important that DEI maintains control of the brand. To that end, the company plans to implement a closed gTLD. Registration requirements will dictate that DEI must be the registrant for all domains in the gTLD to ensure there is control around which second level domains are created. The domains will follow explicit business plans and strategies, and will be intentionally created, monitored for performance against the strategy, and reviewed for new potential business opportunities.
18(b)(ii) What do you anticipate your proposed TLD will add to the current space, in terms of competition, differentiation, or innovation?
In terms of innovation, DEI has been at the forefront of mobile and digital delivery of content, dating back to Disney’s deal with Apple for digital distribution of ABC branded content in 2006. That same level of innovation continues on multiple fronts. Some of the business models that will involve .ABC may include personalization. Currently, ABC.COM allows users to log in to their website. Extending that capability into a range of other personalized offerings, combined with better social media (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc…) integration, should increase both access to and enjoyment of ABC content.
In innovative and differentiating spaces, business models often start out as possibilities and visions with little to no immediate revenue. The company believes that is likely to occur with many of the new gTLD domains. Some trial and error will occur. DEI wants to observe how consumers react to this expansion, experiment with it and be positioned to take advantage where the opportunities look promising.
18(b)(iii) What goals does your proposed TLD have in terms of user experience?
Regarding user experience, DEI expects the new gTLD to be used in conjunction with other offerings, as previously mentioned. The competitive landscape continues to evolve to the mantra of “my life, anytime, anywhere.” The notion of apps, websites, television channels, digital video discs (“DVD’s”), and other delivery mechanisms are converging. It is often unclear what happens when a user clicks on content to read or watch. Does the user know or care what happens when they click on a link in a Twitter tweet, tap a picture in the Flipboard iPad app, click on an advertisement on Facebook, or press their remote control to view a YouTube video from their smart-app-enabled wifi TV? It is unclear to DEI how this landscape will continue to evolve. To be competitive is to prepare and experiment, which is another reason why DEI is considering this gTLD.
18(b)(iv) Provide a complete description of the applicantʹs intended registration policies in support of the goals listed above.
As per the application, user abuse, security and rights protection policies have been drafted and will be enforced between DEI, Verisign (DEI’s outsourced registry services provider) and Registrars.
18(b)(v) Will your proposed TLD impose any measures for protecting the privacy or confidential information of registrants or users? If so, please describe any such measures.
As previously stated, the company plans to implement a closed gTLD. DEI has a long history of ensuring its network viewers and Internet end-users are protected. DEI will develop an acceptable use policy that will govern how domain names can be used in the .ABC gTLD. This policy will be followed when DEI personnel register second level domains in the .ABC gTLD.
The company plans no specific outreach or communications regarding registration of domains issued for the closed “.ABC” gTLD. However, marketing and public relations efforts will exist in a similar fashion to the existing Internet content destinations for each of the new second level domains operated.
18C. What operating rules will you adopt to eliminate or minimize social costs (e.g., time or financial resource costs, as well as various types of consumer vulnerabilities)? What other steps will you take to minimize negative consequences/costs imposed upon consumers?
In launching the ʺ.ABCʺ gTLD, Disney Enterprises, Inc. (ʺDEIʺ) will ensure that all applicable policies and procedures as outlined by ICANN for the prevention and mitigation of domain name abuse, as well as protection for trademark rights will be implemented and followed. As part of a company with a large portfolio of trademarks, DEI is as concerned with these issues as any other company and will ensure that there are no violations in this area.
ʺ.ABCʺ will be a closed gTLD. Since registrations will be restricted to DEI, there will be no third party registrations, no trademark infringement, no domain name conflicts or auctions, no 3rd party cost benefits or discounts, and no concerns or issues with price increases to the registrant.