<div dir="ltr"><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;text-indent:0.5in;margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">.Club
Domains, LLC Comment on<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"> the Top
Level Domain (</span>gTLD<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">) Auction
Proceeds Cross-Community Working Group Initial Report</span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">November 20, 2018</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:0.5in;margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">ICANN
has published the <span style="color:black">Initial
Report (Initial Report) of</span><span style="color:black"> </span>the <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">Top Level Domain (</span>gTLD<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">) Auction Proceeds Cross-Community
Working Group (CCWG)</span>.<a href="#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><span class="gmail-MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align:super"><span class="gmail-MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align:super"><span style="font-size:11pt;line-height:107%">[1]</span></span></span></a> We hereby present a specific proposal that
supports ICANN and the stakeholders of ICANN. In addition, we address our
specific responses to the CCWG Clarification Requests.</span></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraph" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt 0.25in;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">I.<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-weight:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span></b><b><u><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">The Auction Funds Global Awareness
Campaign Proposal</span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:0.5in;margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">We
propose that ICANN should earmark a portion—15% of the total auction funds—to
support an education campaign to promote Universal Awareness of the uses of the
Domain Name System and all TLDs in general. The Board-Approved 2011 Global
Awareness Campaign<a href="#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" title=""><span class="gmail-MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align:super"><span class="gmail-MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align:super"><span style="font-size:11pt;line-height:107%">[2]</span></span></span></a>
can be extended and used as a model (see II a. below). This has the advantage of ensuring that the
plan is within the scope of ICANN’s mission, bylaws and tax status, and builds
on the work done by the previous group.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:0.5in;margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">The
Auction Proceeds Global Awareness Campaign should incorporate the following
themes from the 2011 Global Awareness Campaign, which the ICANN Board has
already vetted and approved:</span></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">“consumers
and end-users [should be the] primary target” (2011 Global Awareness Campaign).</span></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">“gTLDs
are a platform [as a] innovation.” (2011 Global Awareness Campaign).</span></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">“The
landscape of the Internet is changing” (2011 Global Awareness Campaign).</span></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">The
“promotion of competition in the domain name market while ensuring Internet
security and stability.” (2011 Global Awareness Campaign).</span></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt 0.5in;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">The
Auction Proceeds Global Awareness Campaign should not favor any single TLD, to
the exclusion of the others, in alignment with the 2011 Global Awareness
Campaign recognition of its “role as stewards, not advocates” and therefore
being “neutral”. This follows the CCWG recommendation that “Projects should
avoid “marketing” any particular option, but help to highlight how the DNS
works, and how to use a domain name, generally.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:0.5in;margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">We
propose that a steering committee of diverse backgrounds be formed of qualified
members from the ICANN community who would be tasked to craft an RFP that would
serve to hire a qualified professional agency to create and execute a Global
Awareness Campaign. The Auction Funds designated for global awareness should be
allocated to cover the costs of such an agency and all media spending subject
to the guidance and approval of the Steering Committee. The funds should be designated for
expenditure over three years. This has the advantage of allowing for testing
and pilot programs to ensure the funds are utilized to create an Awareness
Campaign with the greatest impact.</span></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraph" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt 0.25in;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">II.<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span><b><u><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Responses to the CCWG Clarification Requests</span></u></b><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:0.5in;margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">This
section addresses the CCWG’s previous work and discussion of an awareness
campaign. In the November 16, 2017
meeting, the CCWG raised two important questions regarding use of the Auction
Funds to support a Global Awareness Campaign.
1) Would such partial allocation be within the scope of the ICANN
Mission & Bylaws; and 2) would such an awareness campaign be consistent
with ICANN’s integrity.<b> </b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:0.5in;margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">According
to the Initial Report, the following clarifications were specifically
requested.</span></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">A
Global Awareness Campaign was categorized as “Examples to be further considered
by CCWG – certain parts may be consistent while others may not.” (Initial
Report).</span></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span><b><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">“</span></b><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">A legal investigation is needed, whether [a Global
Awareness Campaign] is within scope of ICANN’s mission and Bylaws. (Initial
Report).</span></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span></span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Are
we violating ICANN’s integrity? (Initial Report).</span></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> </span></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt 1in;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">a.<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-weight:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></span></b><b><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Allocation
of a portion of the Auction Funds to support a Global Awareness Campaign is
clearly not outside the scope of ICANN’s Mission/Bylaws because the ICANN board
already approved a gTLD awareness campaign in 2011 that was to target the
Domain Industry, Registrants, and Consumers.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:0.5in;margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">There
is no question that an education campaign about the gTLDs and the nature of the
DNS falls squarely within ICANN’s Mission under the Bylaws. In fact, the ICANN
board has already approved a gTLD Global Awareness Campaign, “<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">On 20 June 2011, </span>ICANN<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">'s Board approved a program that will
add to familiar top-level domains such as .com, .org, and .net, the possibility
of having almost any word in any language as a top-level domain. This massive
expansion of the number of possible domain names calls for an equally
significant communications campaign to raise global awareness about the
program. “</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:0.5in;margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">The
2011 Global Awareness Campaign provided for consumers to be targeted for
awareness of the gTLDs. “[N]ew domains must first be available before end-users
can reap the benefits. It is the entities that apply for and implement new
gTLDs that will pass on the benefits to the end-user” (Emphasis Added, Page 3,
2011 Global Awareness Campaign). Moreover,
the board expected that the “consumers and end users” would be targeted after
the new gTLDs became available. It is
unclear why ICANN has not followed through on the board directive to initiate a
Global Awareness Campaign aimed at consumers and end-users, but this is an
opportunity to follow through.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:0.5in;margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Additionally,
the 2011 Global Awareness Campaign envisioned a “Coordinated campaign
incorporating TV, radio, print and online advertising elements, customized by
region. Initial advertising targets: international business TV, newspapers and
websites, Google ads. Develop an energetic, bright, attention-getting teaser
campaign – both in video and print form - that piques interest and directs
people to the new gTLD website.” (Page
4, 2011 Global Awareness Campaign).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> The 2011 Campaign was in alignment
with the CCWG recommendation that any awareness campaign be neutral, so as to
maintain ICANN’s integrity. “Recognizing
our role as stewards, not advocates, we will be neutral, presenting all sides
of the issue while still promoting the great work done by all who participated
in crafting the program.” (Page 2, 2011 Global Awareness Campaign). Additionally, the existence of the 2011
Global Awareness Campaign serves to answer the CCWG’s question of whether an
awareness campaign would be compatible with ICANN’s integrity.</span></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraph" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt 1in;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">b.<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-weight:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></span></b><b><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">The
Transcript of the November 16, 2017 CCWG Meeting indicated that the Global
Awareness Campaign would remain in play, although the Initial Report was
ambiguous, and sometimes contradictory.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:0.5in;margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">The
CCWG Initial Report unfortunately omitted the support from the contracted
parties house of the GNSO. In response to concerns which were posed from the business
constituency and the ALAC, it was noted that “I have a hard time understanding
why [the Global Awareness Campaign] would not be included in the mission when
we're talking about an awareness campaign or perhaps a new round in developing
areas to apply [for] a top-level domain when the Applicant Guidebook which is
the source of this funding actually uses that as an example for potential uses.
So while we may or may not agree that that’s a good use[,] I don’t see how we
could agree that it's not an acceptable use under the mission of ICANN. Thank
you.” To which the moderator responded:
“Agree. That’s why we are not deleting it but we're putting it with a comment
on the right column to the very end or we keep it where it is.” (CCWG Meeting Transcript from November 16,
2017).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:0.5in;margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Thus,
the CCWG transcript indicated that proposal 12 was to remain in play, with a
clarification request about whether a Global Awareness Campaign would be within
ICANN’s mission. Based on the fact that
a Global Awareness Campaign supports ICANN’s mission of Global Acceptance &
supporting the interoperability and openness of the DNS, and the ICANN board
has already approved a Global Awareness Campaign in 2011, the CCWG’s mission
concerns should be answered affirmatively, that the use of the Auction funds is
squarely within ICANN’s mission and the plain language of the ICANN Bylaws.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:0.5in;margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Taking all of the above
into consideration, and especially the fact that a Global Awareness Campaign
has already been approved by the ICANN Board, we strongly urge the CCWG to
consider our proposal and recommend the establishment of a Steering Committee and
the allocation of 15% of the auction proceeds toward the above-referenced
Global Awareness Campaign to be managed by said Steering Committee.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:0.5in;margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">We
thank the ICANN Board, the CCWG, and the community for the opportunity to
comment on the Initial Report and to contribute to answering some of the
questions that the CCWG has raised.</span></p>
<div><br clear="all">
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%">
<div id="gmail-ftn1">
<p class="gmail-MsoFootnoteText" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:10pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><a href="#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="gmail-MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align:super"><span class="gmail-MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align:super"><span style="font-size:10pt;line-height:107%">[1]</span></span></span></a> <a href="https://www.icann.org/public-comments/new-gtld-auction-proceeds-initial-2018-10-08-en">https://www.icann.org/public-comments/new-gtld-auction-proceeds-initial-2018-10-08-en</a></p>
</div>
<div id="gmail-ftn2">
<p class="gmail-MsoFootnoteText" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:10pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><a href="#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" title=""><span class="gmail-MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align:super"><span class="gmail-MsoFootnoteReference" style="vertical-align:super"><span style="font-size:10pt;line-height:107%">[2]</span></span></span></a> <a href="https://www.icann.org/news/announcement-2011-07-05-en">https://www.icann.org/news/announcement-2011-07-05-en</a></p>
</div>
</div></div>