Online Brand Protection

Failure cases
and domain name disputes.

Domains with .COM extension

Armani (armani.com) and Nissan (nissan.com)
The Uniform Dispute Resolution Policies (UDRP) were established to protect companies from phenomena like cybersquatting and domain grabbing, and, especially, to protect generic domains, including the .com, the most relevant for commercial purposes. These policies are extremely strict and restrictive in regulating the evidence on the applicant's side: these policies are meant to avoid making a decision regarding absolute rights.
If there is no clear evidence of parasitic activity or malicious intent, the UDRP abdicate at once. They do not consider issues that involve choosing between two absolute rights.
Therefore, the legitimate interest in using the name armani.com, deriving from the assignee's name (A.R.Mani), has impeded the transfer. The same rationale was followed by the Federal Judge that settled the "nissan.com" case (dispute between the ex-datsun and MR. Uzi Nissan), although the definitive judgment is currently still pending.

Domains with .IT extension (Italy)

The Armani case (armani.it)
With the 0634-2003 judgment, the tribunal of Bergamo, I civil section, ordered cancellation of the word "armani" from the domain name registered by the respondent and forbid likewise the use of the word "armani" as a domain name, when this is not followed by eligible elements distinguishing it from the trademark "Armani"».
The decision finds its explanation in the fact that the domain name "armani.it", registered for commercial purposes by the engraver Luca Armani (who promoted his services and products with this domain name) damaged the rights of the tailor Giorgio Armani, holder of a famous trademark, and therefore eligible for "increased protection" from commercial categories other than the one for which the trademark was registered.
(Continua su InterLex http://www.interlex.it/nomiadom/amonti66.htm).

Domains with .CC extension(Cocos [Keeling] Islands)

The Ermenegildo Zegna case (essenzadizegna.cc)
OMPI administrative college decision
http://arbiter.wipo.int/domains/decisions/html/2003/dcc2003-0004.html

Domains with .BZ extension(Belize)

The Agnona case(agnona.bz)
OMPI administrative college decision
http://www.worldlii.org/bz/cases/BZDND/2004/1.html

Domains with .CH extension(Switzerland)

The Hitachi case (hitachi.ch)
WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center decision
http://arbiter.wipo.int/domains/decisions/html/2005/dch2005-0002.html

Domains with .IR extension(Iran)

The Google case (google.ir)
WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center decision
http://arbiter.wipo.int/domains/decisions/html/2005/dir2005-0001.html

The Total case (total.ir)
WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center decision
http://arbiter.wipo.int/domains/decisions/html/2004/dir2004-0001.html

Domini con estensione .LA (Laos)

Il caso Prada (pradaboutique.la)
WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center decision
http://arbiter.wipo.int/domains/decisions/html/2004/dla2004-0001.html

Domains with .RO extension (Romania)

Il caso Auchan (auchan.ro)
WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center decision
http://arbiter.wipo.int/domains/decisions/html/2005/dro2005-0001.html

Il caso Novotel (novotel.ro)
WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center decision
Pending

Domains with .WS extension (Western Samoa)

The Volvo case (volvo.ws)
WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center decision
http://arbiter.wipo.int/domains/decisions/html/2004/dws2004-0001.html

The Hitachi case (hitachi.ws)
WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center decision
http://arbiter.wipo.int/domains/decisions/html/2004/dws2004-0002.html

The Nokia case (nokia.ws)
WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center decision
http://arbiter.wipo.int/domains/decisions/html/2001/dws2001-0004.html

Domains with .COM.MX extension (Messico)

The Nivea case (nivea.com.mx)
WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center decision
http://arbiter.wipo.int/domains/decisions/html/2001/dmx2001-0001.html

The Kellogg case (kellogg.com.mx)
WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center decision
http://arbiter.wipo.int/domains/decisions/html/2001/dmx2001-0003.html

The Toyota case (toyota.com.mx)
WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center decision
http://arbiter.wipo.int/domains/decisions/html/2001/dmx2001-0006.html

Domains with .AS extension (American Samoa)

The Body Shop case (bodyshop.as)
WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center decision
http://arbiter.wipo.int/domains/decisions/html/2003/das2003-0001.html

Domains with .AU extension (Australia)

The Jacuzzi case (jacuzzi.com.au, jacuzzi.net.au)
WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center decision
Pending

Domains with .FR (Francia)

The Austrian Airlines case (austrianairlines.fr)
WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center decision
http://arbiter.wipo.int/domains/decisions/html/2004/dfr2004-0003.html