v.
Robert Nielson
(trading as Pacific International Distributors)
[Indexed as:
Singapore Airlines v. Nielson]
[Indexed as:
Singaporegirl.com]
WIPO Arbitration
and Mediation Center
Administrative
Panel Decision
Case No. D2000-0644
Commenced:
6 July 2000
Judgment:
29 August 2000
Presiding Panelist: Ian Barker
Domain name - Domain name dispute resolution policy - Legitimate interest - Bad faith registration - Bad faith use - Identical - Confusingly similar - Trademark - U.S. Trademark - Common law trademark - Dilution of mark - Adult content as aggravating element - Famous mark - Singapore girl.
Complainant has operated a high-profile airline since 1962, using the SINGAPORE GIRL mark, a female flight attendant character, in advertising campaigns for nearly 30 years. Complainant registered the mark in the United States in 1981. Similar registrations were made in other countries and Complainant also asserts a common law trademark in jurisdictions that recognize common law marks. Respondent registered the domain name Singaporegirl.com.
HELD, Name Transferred to Complainant.
The domain name Singaporegirl.com is obviously identical or confusingly similar to Complainant's mark. The .com addition is of no consequence in making this assessment.
Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in the domain name, and has never suggested to the contrary. There is no suggestion of any license from Complainant, nor that Respondent is known by a name similar to the domain name.
Respondent has registered and used the domain name in bad faith. The domain name is so obviously connected with Complainant's airline that its very use by someone with no connection with the airline suggests opportunistic bad faith. Respondent is using the domain name for commercial gain, hoping that Internet surfers, seeking information about Complainant, will be diverted into Respondent's offerings. It strains credibility that Respondent was oblivious of the SINGAPORE GIRL mark when he registered the domain name.
Respondent is tarnishing and therefore diluting Complainant's famous mark within the meaning of U.S. law by linking it to adult content.
Policies referred to
Uniform Domain
Name Dispute Resolution Policy, adopted August 26, 1999
Cases referred to
Hasbro Inc. v. Internet Entertainment Group Ltd., 1996 WL 84853 (W.D. Wash. 1996).
New Zealand Post Ltd. v. Leng, [1999] 3 NZLR 219.
Statutes referred to
US Federal Trademark Dilution Act 1995
Panel decisions referred to
National Football League Properties, Inc. et al. v. One Sex Entertainment Co., D2000-0118 (WIPO).
Nokia Corporation
v. Nokiagirls.com a.k.a. IBCC, D2000-0102 (WIPO).
Barker, Panelist:
-
1. The Parties
The Complainant
is Singapore Airlines Limited, a corporation under the laws of the Republic
of Singapore with its address at Airline House, 25 Airline Road, Singapore
819829. The
Complainant is represented by Mr. Roy Goldbert of Schnader Harrison Segal
& Lewis LLP, Attorneys of Washington DC, U.S.A.
The Respondent
is Robert Nielson of 16060 Ventura Boulevard, #326, Encino, CA 91436, USA.
The Respondent is not represented by counsel and has filed no Response.
The Respondent
appears to trade under the name Pacific International Distributors also.
2. The Domain Name and Registrar
The domain
name at issue is "Singaporegirl.com". The domain name is registered with
Network Solutions Inc., 505 Huntmar Park Drive, Herndon, Virginia 20170,
United
States of
America ("NSI").
3. Procedural History
The Complaint
submitted by Singapore Airlines Limited was received on June 20, 2000,
(electronic version) and June 22, 2000, (hard copy) by the World Intellectual
Property Organization
Arbitration and Mediation Center ("WIPO Center").
On or about June 21, 2000, a request for Registrar verification was transmitted by the WIPO Center to NSI, requesting it to:
- Confirm that
a copy of the Complaint had been sent to it by the Complainant as required
by the WIPO Supplemental Rules for Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy
("Supplemental
Rules"), paragraph 4(b).
- Confirm that the domain name at issue is registered with NSI.
- Confirm that those identified as the Respondents are the current registrants of the domain name.
- Provide full
contact details, i.e., postal address(es), telephone number(s), facsimile
number(s), email address(es), available in the Registrars WHOIS database
for the
registrant
of the disputed domain name, the technical contact, the administrative
contact and the billing contact for the domain name.
- Confirm that the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy was in effect.
- Indicate the current status of the domain name.
By email dated June 30, 2000, NSI advised WIPO Center as follows:
- NSI had received a copy of the Complaint from the Complainant.
- NSI is the Registrar of the domain name registration "Singaporegirl.com".
- Robert Nielson is shown as the "current registrant" of the domain name "Singaporegirl.com". His addresses is as given above.
- Robert Nielson is also shown as the Administrative, Technical, Zone and Billing Contact at the following address:
Pacific International
Distributors
PO Box 986,
Bethel, AK 99559
Phone 907-543-3579;
Fax 907-543-5307.
- NSIs 5.0 Service Agreement is in effect.
- The domain name registration "Singaporegirl.com" is in "Active" status.
NSI has currently
incorporated in its agreements the policy for Uniform Domain Name Dispute
Resolution adopted by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and
Numbers ("ICANN").
The advice
from NSI that the domain name in question is still "active", indicates
the Respondent has not requested that the domain name at issue be deleted
from the
domain name
database. The Respondent has not sought to terminate the agreement with
NSI. Accordingly, the Respondent is bound by the provisions of NSIs Domain
Name Dispute
Resolution Policy, i.e., the ICANN policy. The Respondent has not challenged
the jurisdiction of the Panel.
Having verified
that the Complaint satisfied the formal requirements of the Uniform Policy
and the Uniform Rules, the WIPO Center on July 6, 2000, transmitted by
post/courier
and by email a notification of Complaint and Commencement of Administrative
Proceedings to the Respondents. A copy of the Complaint was also emailed
to NSI and ICANN.
The Complainant elected to have its Complaint resolved by a single panel member: it has duly paid the amount required of it to the WIPO Center.
The Respondent
was advised that a Response to the Complaint was required within 20 calendar
days (i.e., by July 25, 2000). The Respondent was also advised that any
Response should
be communicated, in accordance with the Rules, by four sets of hard copy
and by email. The Respondent has filed no Response. A Notice of Default
was
forwarded
by WIPO Center to the Respondent on July 31, 2000.
On August 17,
2000, the WIPO Center invited the Honorable Sir Ian Barker QC of Auckland,
New Zealand, to serve as Sole Panelist in the case. It transmitted to him
a
statement
of acceptance and requested a declaration of impartiality and independence.
On August 17,
2000, the Honourable Sir Ian Barker QC advised his acceptance and forwarded
to the WIPO Center his statement of impartiality and independence. The
Panelist finds
that the Administrative Panel was properly constituted in accordance with
the Rules and the Supplemental Rules.
On August 21,
2000, WIPO Center forwarded to the Honourable Sir Ian Barker QC by courier
the relevant submissions and the record. These were received by him on
August 25,
2000. In terms of Rule 5(b), in the absence of exceptional circumstances,
the Panel is required to forward its decision by September 4, 2000.
The Panel has
independently determined and agrees with the assessment of WIPO Center
that the Complaint meets the formal requirements of the Rules for Uniform
Domain Name
Dispute Resolution Policy as approved by ICANN on October 24, 1999, ("the
Rules") and the Supplemental Rules.
The language of the administrative proceeding is English, being the language of the registration agreement.
4. Factual Background
The Complainant
has since 1962, operated a high profile, successful international airline.
It flies to 70 cities in 35 countries in Asia, Europe, North America, Africa
and
Australasia.
For almost
30 years, the Complainants advertising and promotional campaigns have
centered on the "Singapore Girl", a female flight attendant dressed in
a sarong, as
symbolic of
the high standard of service on board the Complainants airline. The mark
has come to be synonymous with the Complainant.
The Complainant
exhibited media references from a variety of publications over several
years which discussed in complimentary terms the "Singapore Girl" advertising
strategy.
Further fame was achieved in 1993, when Madame Tussauds waxworks in London
displayed a "Singapore Girl".
The Complainant
obtained registration in the United States (No. 1161347) in 1981, of the
mark "Singapore Girl" in International Class 39 for the provision of air
transport
services.
Similar registrations have been made in Singapore, New Zealand and the
Philippines. The Complainant asserts a common law trademark in those jurisdictions
that recognize
common law trademarks.
When accessed
by an internal user, the Respondents website shows a title page of "Singapore
Ladies", with links (inter alia) to "Cupids Network Affiliate", "Where
Singles Meet"
and "SingleSites.com". When the "Singapore Ladies" icon is engaged, a page
comes up entitled "Cherry Blossoms, Inc - The Worlds 1st Personals since
1974!". If
a user engages the link to "SinglesSites.com", the user will be presented
with hyperlinks to "singles sites", as well as to websites containing pornographic
content.
The Complainant has given no rights to the Respondent in respect of the domain name.
5. Parties Contentions
The Complainant
submits that the only possible conclusion must be the Respondent registered
and is using its world-famous mark, "Singapore Girl," in bad faith. It
asserts
that the Respondent
is intentionally attempting to attract for commercial gain Internet users
by creating a likelihood of confusion with the Complainants mark as to
the
source, sponsorship
or endorsement of the Respondents website. The Complainant also alleges
that the Respondents use (a) intentionally misleads customers for
commercial
gain; and (b) tarnishes the Complainants mark (see Policy 4(b)(iv) and
4(c)(ii)). Although internet users would ultimately discover no business
relationship
between the
Complainant and the Respondent, the latter would have gained website traffic
from the establishment of the link.
The Respondent has made no submissions.
6. Discussion and Findings
Paragraph 15(a) of the Rules instructs the Panel to:
"decide a complaint
on the basis of the statements and documents submitted in accordance with
the policy, these rules and any rules and principles of law that it deems
applicable".
The burden for the Complainant, under paragraph 4(a) of the ICANN Policy, is to show:
h That the domain name registered by the Respondent is identical or confusingly similar to a trademark or service mark in which the Complainant has rights; and
h That the Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the domain name; and
h That the domain name has been registered and is being used by the Respondent in bad faith.
The domain
name "Singaporegirl.com" is obviously identical or confusingly similar
to the Complainants mark. The Panel so decides. The ".com" addition is
of no
consequence
in making this assessment.
Likewise, the
Panel decides that the Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests
in the domain name at issue. The Respondent has never suggested to the
contrary.
There is no
suggestion of any license from the Complainant to use the name. Nor that
the Respondent is known by a name similar to the domain name.
Paragraph 4(b) of the ICANN Policy states:
"For the purposes
of Paragraph 4(a)(iii), the following circumstances, in particular but
without limitation, if found by the Panel to be present, shall be evidence
of the
registration
and use of a domain name in bad faith:
(i) Circumstances
indicating that you have registered or you have acquired the domain name
primarily for the purpose of selling, renting, or otherwise transferring
the
domain name
registration to the complainant who is the owner of the trademark or service
mark or to a competitor of that complainant, for valuable consideration
in excess
of your documented
out-of-pocket costs directly related to the domain name; or
(ii) you have
registered the domain name in order to prevent the owner of the trademark
or service mark from reflecting the mark in a corresponding domain name,
provided
that you have
engaged in a pattern of such conduct; or
(iii) you have registered the domain name primarily for the purpose of disrupting the business of a competitor; or
(iv) by using
the domain name, you have intentionally attempted to attract, for commercial
gain, Internet users to your web site or other on-line location, by creating
a
likelihood
of confusion with the complainants mark as to the source, sponsorship,
affiliation, or endorsement of your web site or location or of a product
or service on your
web site or
location."
It should be noted that the circumstances of bad faith are not limited to the above.
The Panel considers that the Respondent has registered and used the domain name "Singaporegirl.com" in "bad faith" for the following reasons:
(a) "Singaporegirl.com"
is so obviously connected with such a well-known airline that its very
use by someone with no connection with the airline suggests opportunistic
bad faith.
(b) The connection of the Respondents website with apparent "adult" offerings clearly tarnishes or dilutes the Complainants mark.
(c) The Respondent
is using the domain name for commercial gain, hoping that persons surfing
the Internet, seeking information on the Complainants services, will be
diverted into
the Respondents less salubrious offerings.
(d) It strains credibility that the Complainant was oblivious of the existence of the "Singapore Girl" mark when he registered the domain name.
The present
situation is similar to that found in Nokia Corporation v. Nokiagirls.com
a.k.a IBCC (WIPO Case D2000-0102) where the WIPO Panel ordered cancellation
of
the domain
name "nokiagirls.com". The Complainant was a manufacturer of cell phones
known internationally. The domain name was connected to a website displaying
a
menu with
certain word links. There was also a picture of a womans face and shoulder
and a list of countries grouped by continents. When one clicked on the
link
"MORE", two
additional pages were displayed, with one picture each of girls in blue
uniforms. The loading of the website caused a rotating banner to appear.
The banner
contained
hyperlinks to other sites. The Panel concluded that the domain name had
been registered and used in bad faith because the registrant was using
the domain
name to create
traffic to its website in a financially driven attempt to draw Internet
users to its website. Although the registrants website did not contain
pornographic
material,
it nevertheless created an impression that the site was adult-oriented
- which "constitute[d] an aggravating element in the assessment of the
bad faith with which
the Domain
Name is being used".
In National
Football League Properties, Inc. et al. v. One Sex Entertainment Co., (WIPO
Case No. D2000-0118), the Respondent "used the domain name chargergirls.net
to direct
Internet users to its pornographic website onesex.com. As such, the Respondent
used the name to attract, for commercial gain, Internet users to its website
by
creating a
likelihood of confusion whether Complainant was the source, sponsor, affiliate,
or endorser of its website. Although Internet users might soon discover
the
unlikelihood
of a business relationship between Complainant and Respondent, Respondent
would have gained website traffic from the establishment of the link via
the
chargergirls.net
domain name."
Accordingly,
for all the various reasons discussed above, the Panel finds that the domain
name "Singaporegirl.com" has been registered and is being used by the
Respondent
in bad faith.
7. Legal Considerations
The decisions
of United States Courts cited by the Complainant indicate that the Respondents
use of the disputed domain name dilutes unlawfully the Complainants
mark. The
mark appears to meet the criteria for being "famous" found in the US Federal
Trademark Dilution Act 1995: see Hasbro Inc. v. Internet Entertainment
Group Ltd,
1996 WL 84853
(W.D. Wash. 1996). The Respondent is tarnishing and therefore diluting
the Complainants mark by linking it to an "adult" website.
A similar situation
to the present came before the High Court of New Zealand in New Zealand
Post Ltd v Leng [1999] 3 NZLR 219. There, the New Zealand postal
administration,
known as NZ Post, objected to the defendants registration of a domain
name "nzpost.com". The site contained links directing the browser to pornographic
material.
The Court granted the injunction sought by NZ Post, holding that the defendants
domain name was an instrument of deception, if not of fraud. The Court
followed English and US authorities to similar effect.
8. Decision
For the foregoing reasons, the Panel decides:
(a) that the domain name registered by the Respondent is identical or confusingly similar to the trademark to which the Complainant has rights;
(b) that the Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the domain name; and
(c) the Respondents domain name has been registered and is being used in bad faith.
Accordingly,
pursuant to paragraph 4(i) of the Policy, the Panel requires that the registration
of the domain name "Singaporegirl.com" be transferred to the Complainant.
Hon
Sir Ian Barker QC
Panelist
Dated:
August 29, 2000