.unicorn

}}

Status:	Proposed
Registry Provider:	Gransy
Type:	Brand TLD
Priority #:	1130 - Unicorn a.s.

.unicorn is a Brand TLD being proposed in ICANN's New gTLD Program. The applicant is Unicorn a.s.

String Similarity

After the long delayed ruling from the String Similarity Panel was released in late February 2013, it was revealed that .unicom had been deemed to similar to .unicorn and consequently were placed in contention set. Only one TLD can go on from a contention set to implementation, the others must be withdrawn or beat in auction or otherwise negotiated away from their application. The process of the String Similarity Panel was long obscured and had been causing a great deal of confusion and anxiety within the new TLD applicant community. Other than the .hotel/hoteis contention set there was only one other created, .hotels & .hoteis. There is no official appeals process to the findings of the Panel.

Initial Evaluation

The applicant did not pass the Initial Evaluation after failing the technical evaluation of the application. It is eligible for Extended Evaluation.

Application Details

The following is excerpted from the applicant's response to question #18:

"The applicant, company Unicorn a.s., was founded in 1990 by Mr. Vladimir Kovar, which started-up the business as an entrepreneur and still remains the owner and the chairman of the board of the company. In 1995 the company expanded and its structure became more complex. The Unicorn group of companies (“Unicorn Group”) had been created, the applicant being its parent company and the most important entity. In 2011 the Unicorn Group achieved a turnover of 1.325 billion CZK (more than 85 million USD. From its very beginning the company Unicorn a.s. and afterwards the whole Unicorn Group focuses on providing complex services in the area of information systems and information and communication technologies. The Unicorn Groupʹs mission has been to bring customers a competitive edge and high added value by delivering top information products and services within the agreed quality, scope, time and budget. There are three product areas, on which the Unicorn Group is focused, each of them represented by one of Unicorn Group’s companies: Unicorn Systems provides the largest information systems and solutions in the area of information and communication technologies. It has been operating on the market since 1990 and since then it has created a series of high-end large-scale solutions that are widespread and used among the most important companies in a variety of sectors. It has the best references from the banking, insurance, telecommunications, energy, industry, commerce and public sectors. Unicorn Universe provides smart solutions for the support of management, sharing of information and mainly cooperation – you can organize your company, personal interests or other activities in your life. It builds a space on the Internet where you will be able to easily offer your business to others. You can communicate with business partners, share necessary information with colleagues or plan joint events together with friends at a single point. Maximum accessibility, absolute security and guaranteed protection of the data committed are its priorities. Users of the Unicorn Universe service can use their solutions round-the-clock, 7 days a week. They can work whenever and wherever – from any device with a display and a standard browser connected to the Internet. With the press of a button, users can enter their business. They can communicate with customers, partners, suppliers and others directly on Unicorn Universe platform. The system enables joint meetings in direct link to the related information. It is also possible to share current versions of documents and contracts with people in one common place. Each important activity is planned in direct link to its output in the system. Using Unicorn Universe system, people know which work to do. Vice versa, their managers are able to obtain the information important to them from the information system. They know what is happening in the company – what the current status of individual tasks and their outputs are. Unicorn College is a reputable private university offering a high-quality university education in the field of information and communication technologies, economics, and management. It focuses on the systematic education of specialists in accredited disciplines with the aim of maximizing graduates’ competitive edge in their career. A comprehensive education system both summarizes and provides a well-balanced range of knowledge, consisting of the standards of good industry practice, applied research, corporate approach, and partner cooperation with industry leaders. Since its foundation, all activities, services and products of the applicant and its daughter companies are being launched on the market under the UNICORN brand name. The UNICORN brand name is protected through number of trademarks, of which the Czech national trademark No. 184507 UNICORN (word) possesses the priority as of December 21, 1993. A list of UNICORN trademarks of the applicant is attached. Through its long-term and massive use not only on the territory of the Czech Republic, the UNICORN brand name and identical trademarks of the applicant gained good reputation and became well-known among all groups of customers. The proposed gTLD “.unicorn” is thus the brand domain name enabling applicant to increase UNICORN brand awareness throughout the business community in the world. Registration and use of “.unicorn” domain name will establish certain brand consistency throughout all online social media forums, online search engines, and marketing campaigns. So far the applicant has to use national TLD “.cz” and “.eu”, which certainly limits the target group of customers and diminishes effects of applicant’s marketing efforts. “.unicorn” domain name will also increase visibility of the brand and the applicant, which means increased recognition, leading to increased confidence and trust in applicant’s UNICORN brand. The proposed gTLD “.unicorn” should also assist applicant to improve communication between users of Unicorn Universe system and their identification. It will enable applicant, its employees, customers, partners and⁄or suppliers to better share their data and experiences in only one virtual space defined by Unicorn Universe platform. At the end of the day, the system (including “.unicorn” domain name) will comprise fully compatible and communicating group of Unicorn Universe users.

..

The proposed gTLD “.unicorn” is the brand domain name. The applicant does intend to strictly control and limit registration and use of the domain name and does not expect any massive increase in numbers of users and registrants. The number of registrants and users of the domain name will not exceed 1000 in the first year with max. 20% growth every year. The applicant does not intend to be a commercial registry with thousands of registrations per month. The proposed gTLD “.unicorn” should serve mainly to applicant itself, for its promotion and better recognition throughout the business world, and to applicant’s customers and business partners, not to everyday use by infinite and unclosed number of registrants⁄users. The applicant itself (at its own discretion) will decide whether its business partner or any other subject using Unicorn Universe system should have also SLD under “.unicorn” and for what purpose."