Villas.com for $800,000
August 4th, 2007 by
Jay Westerdal
The Villas.com
Portfolio is one of the most complete domain portfolios that I have seen. It includes not only Domain Names but Registered Trademarks as well. As new TLDs get released these trademarks have been used to acquire the rights in future “Villas” brand in TLDs. Holding on to generic terms in multiple TLDs is virtual impossible. However Steve has managed to just that. He originally started the brand for his Villas magazine. The offline publication didn’t last long with the Invention of the Internet. Steve never got into the third party booking business online but this brand is begging for it.
The most valuable domain of them all is Villas.com
. The second most valuable domain in the collection I personally think is Villas.eu
. Europe has thousands of Villas and is the central place people think about when they discuss renting a Villa. There are plenty of Villas in Spain and of course Steve got Villas.es
too. German’s love to go on Holiday and they also love dotInfo, so there is the domain Villas.info
too.
With 13 trademarks centered on the classic generic word VILLAS this is a portfolio that allows the new owner plenty of room to grow the brand as new TLDs come on line. Villas.asia
comes to mind. Later this year the trademark owner of Villas can apply before anyone else to own the domain. Trademark owners have first right of refusal on new TLDs.
This portfolio is being sold at a value based on branding potential, longevity in the marketplace and trademarks. The entire portfolio of domains, together with trademarks, presents a formidable barrier to entry. The key generic word VILLAS lends itself seamlessly to at least two of the Internet’s most lucrative and natural global markets: Real Estate and Travel. VILLAS is recognizable and has instant cognition in all western languages and cultures, as well as Hebraic, Asian, Slavic and Arabic cultures, without translation. Moreover, the word VILLAS has permeated everyday lexicon, in all international cultures, to mean exactly what it is with no marketing hype and expense needed to imbed the name into consumers’ top-of-mind cognition. It has meaning to the bargain hunter and luxury consumer alike. In short, VILLAS has natural, direct, low cost branding perfection and is a marketer’s dream generic.
VILLAS is instantly significant in the primary market of Travel — both Domestic and International — and as a revenue hook for the ancillary markets of: Vacation Rentals for consumers, owners and booking agents; Hotels and Resorts; Travel Agents; Air Bookings; Car Rental; Currency Exchange Services; Local Merchants and Service Providers; Tour Guides; Specialist/Exotic/High End Travel & Services; Bargain/Discount Travel Packages; “Last Minute” Bookers; etc.
VILLAS is instantly significant in the primary market of Real Estate & Property — both Domestic and International — and as a revenue hook for the ancillary markets of: Home Loans & Refinance; Insurance; Financial Services; VIP & Concierge Services; Currency Exchange Services; Decoration & Interior Design; Architects; Domestic and International Agents; Property Finders; Appraisals; Kitchens & Bathrooms; Home Entertainment and other Domestic Electronics; Landscaping and Swimming Pools; etc.
TRADEMARKS
All of the world’s goods and services are, for trademark purposes, categorized into 45 different segments, called “Classes”. Whereas anyone can assert that they have a “trademark” for a product, by simply using the ™ symbol in conjunction with a brand, logo, word phrase, etc., this right can be defeated quite easily, even if used for a long period of time. However, the Registered Trademark, denoted ®, grants absolute rights and protection to its owner, even defeating a trademark, ™, for the same or similar brand, logo, word phrase, etc.
Obtaining a Registered Trademark, ®, is a rigorous process of examination, public review and compliance with international standards. It is expensive and can take years to obtain, but it wields great power for its owner. For this reason, for example, in any Trademark Sunrise period for new gTLDs and ccTLDs a Registered Trademark is required. In any UDRP domain challenge, and other civil claims, a Registered Trademark ® will always prevail over a trademark ™. Moreover, the Seller has prevailed in one WIPO challenge, three Sunrise applications for the generic domain name “VILLAS”, and in the past month has prevailed in a precedent-setting trademark dispute over infringement by a large online gambling concern, based on the power of the 13 Registered Trademarks listed below (see also Annex 2):
Spanish Registered Trademark Nº 1.965.734 issued in 1995 for the “Word with Graphic” representation of “Villas &…” the ampersand and three dots are considered a “graphic”, in the Nice Class 16 pertaining, generally, to: printed matter including books and magazines, cardboard and paper products, photographs, etc. The trademark is for:
VILLAS&…®
A further four Spanish Registered Trademarks, 2.481.940 through 2.481.943, issued in 2002 to amplify the above original “Word with Graphic” trademark by including Class 36: Insurance; financial affairs; monetary affairs; real estate affairs; Class 38: All forms of telecommunications, including the internet; Class 39: Travel arrangement, transport, packaging and storage of goods; and Class 41: Entertainment, education, providing of training, sporting and cultural activities.
A further five Spanish Registered Trademarks, 2.481.944 through 2.481.948, issued in 2002 to amplify the figurative marks noted above with the “Textual” or actual word phrase VILLAS&… in Classes 16, 36, 38, 39 and 41, already described above.
VILLAS&…®
A further Spanish Registered Trademark, 2.522.493, issued in 2003 for the “Textual” or actual word phrase: VILLASDOTCOM VILLAS.COM
, in Classes 16, 36, 38, 39 and 41, already described above, and in the additional Class 35: Advertising, business management, business administration and office functions.
VILLASDOTCOM VILLAS.COM
®
A further Spanish Registered Trademark, 2.597.146, issued in 2004, for VILLAS.EU
, in Classes 16, 36 and 38, described above, which is:
A further European Community Registered Trademark (CTM), 772020, issued in 1999, for the Villas &… “Word with Graphic” or “figurative mark”, in Classes 16, 36 and 38, already mentioned above. This gives protection in all 26 member-states of the European Community (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Holland, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and United Kingdom).
VILLAS&…®
The above 13 trademarks and the bulk of the domain portfolio were originally obtained to secure and protect the brand of the Seller’s magazine of the same name, Villas &… This magazine was dedicated to high-end property, décor and lifestyle on the Mediterranean coasts, and was published continuously from 1995 until 2004. The magazine is registered in the National Libraries of Spain and the United Kingdom as well as the Registry of Periodicals in Spain. It was distributed on sale throughout Europe, and had subscribers all over the world. By default, as the Seller is divesting of all protecting Intellectual Property and domains, the “title” and the exclusive right to commence publication again to the magazine Villas &… is included in the portfolio.
Based on what is called, in trademark parlance, “priority”, dating back to 1995, and with 13 prior Registered Trademarks, one could further amplify these trademarks into other international jurisdictions with little or no effort aside from the filing procedures.
Although originally intended to protect a magazine title, the Seller foresaw many other future applications for branding and hence trademarked into many other commercial functions. That is, the future owner of these marks can apply the branding not only to the Internet but also into what are some of the most lucrative global industrial sectors, e.g., Real Estate, Travel, Entertainment, Insurance and Financial Affairs, to name but a few.
Top Level: Brand “Super Villas” (German):
VILLAS.COM
UBERVILLAS.COM![]()
VILLAS.EU
UBERVILLAS.DE![]()
VILLAS.MOBI
UBER-VILLAS.COM![]()
VILLAS.INFO
UBER-VILLAS.DE![]()
VILLAS.PRO
UBER-VILLEN.COM![]()
VILLAS.IN
UBER-VILLEN.DE![]()
VILLAS.ES![]()
VILLAS.EU.COM
Travel and/or Real Estate:
VILLAS.BZ
VILLASONLINE.NET![]()
VILLAS.FM
VILLASONLINE.ORG![]()
VILLA.FM
VILLASONLINE.INFO![]()
VILLASONLINE.BIZ![]()
IP Protection and/or Brand: VILLASONLINE.CC![]()
VILLASDOTCOM.COM
VILLAS-ONLINE.COM![]()
VILLASDOTCOM.NET
VILLAS-ONLINE.ORG![]()
VILLASDOTCOM.ORG
VILLAS-ONLINE.INFO![]()
VILLASDOTCOM.INFO
VILLAS-ONLINE.BIZ![]()
VILLASDOTCOM.BIZ
VILLAS-ONLINE.CC![]()
VILLASDOT.COM
VILLASOFTHEWORLD.NET![]()
VILLASDOT.NET
VILLASOFTHEWORLD.ORG![]()
VILLASDOT.ORG
VILLASOFTHEWORLD.INFO![]()
VILLASDOT.INFO
VILLASOFTHEWORLD.BIZ![]()
VILLASDOT.BIZ
VILLAS-OF-THE-WORLD.COM![]()
VILLASEU.COM
VILLAS-OF-THE-WORLD.NET![]()
VILLASEU.NET
VILLAS-OF-THE-WORLD.ORG![]()
VILLASEU.ORG
VILLAS-OF-THE-WORLD.INFO![]()
VILLASEU.INFO
VILLAS-OF-THE-WORLD.BIZ![]()
VILLASEU.BIZ
VILLASRICHE.COM![]()
VILLAS-EU.COM
VILLASSITE.COM![]()
VILLAS-EU.NET
VILLASTV.COM![]()
VILLAS-EU.INFO
VILLASTV.EU![]()
VILLAS-EU.BIZ![]()
Interior Design & Home:
Travel & Holiday: VILLASAIRCONDITIONING.COM![]()
VILLASDESTINATIONS.COM
VILLASART.COM![]()
VILLASDESTINATIONS.CO.UK
VILLASBATHROOMS.COM![]()
VILLASHOLIDAYS.CO.UK
VILLASBEDROOMS.COM![]()
VILLASRENTAL.CO.UK
VILLASDECORATIONS.COM![]()
VILLASRENTALS.US
VILLASDESIGNS.COM![]()
VILLASFORRENT.BIZ
VILLASFURNISHINGS.COM![]()
VILLASFORRENT.INFO
VILLASFURNITURE.COM![]()
RENTALVILLAS.US
VILLASHOMECINEMA.COM![]()
FORVILLAS.COM
VILLASHOMETHEATRE.COM![]()
GOTOVILLAS.COM
VILLASHOMETHEATRES.COM![]()
SEARCHVILLAS.COM
VILLASKITCHENS.COM![]()
VILLASAUTORENTAL.COM
VILLASMEDIAROOMS.COM![]()
VILLASCARHIRE.COM![]()
VILLASCARRENTAL.COM![]()
Real Estate: Magazine:
LUXURY-VILLAS.BIZ
VILLASMAGAZINE.COM![]()
LUXURY-VILLAS.INFO
VILLASMAGAZINE.NET![]()
LUXURY-VILLAS.ORG
VILLASMAGAZINE.ORG![]()
VILLASFORSALE.INFO
VILLASMAGAZINE.INFO![]()
VILLASLOANS.COM
VILLASMAGAZINE.BIZ![]()
VILLASFORLEASE.COM
VILLASMAGAZINE.US![]()
VILLASFORLEASE.INFO
VILLASMAGAZINE.CC![]()
VILLAS-MAGAZINE.COM![]()
VILLAS-MAGAZINE.NET![]()
VILLAMAGAZINE.INFO![]()
VILLA-MAGAZINE.BIZ![]()
Originally IP, now Branding:
EURO-VILLAS.NET
VILLAS-MAGAZINE.ORG![]()
EURO-VILLAS.ORG
VILLAS-MAGAZINE.INFO![]()
EURO-VILLAS.INFO
VILLAS-MAGAZINE.BIZ![]()
EURO-VILLAS.BIZ
VILLAS-MAGAZINE.US![]()
EURO-VILLAS.US
VILLAS-MAGAZINE.CC![]()
EURO-VILLAS.TV![]()
EURO-VILLAS.BZ
VILLAMAGAZINE.COM![]()
EURO-VILLAS.CC
VILLAMAGAZINE.NET![]()
EURO-VILLAS.WS
VILLAMAGAZINE.ORG![]()
VILLAS-AND.COM
VILLAMAGAZINE.BIZ![]()
VILLAS-AND.NET
VILLA-MAGAZINE.COM![]()
VILLAS-AND.ORG
VILLA-MAGAZINE.NET![]()
VILLAS-AND.INFO
VILLA-MAGAZINE.ORG![]()
VILLAS-AND.BIZ
VILLA-MAGAZINE.INFO![]()
Gambling:
VILLASCASINO.COM![]()
VILLASCASINO.EU![]()
Trademark Country Nº NICE Class Issue Date Renew Date
VILLAS (plus Graphic) Spain 1.965.734 16 06.11.1995 05.11.2015
Villas &… (figurative) EU 772020 16,36,38 24.08.1999 23.08.2009
Villas &… (Figurative) Spain 2.481.940 36 20.11.2002 19.11.2012
Villas &… (Figurative) Spain 2.481.941 38 20.11.2002 19.11.2012
Villas &… (Figurative) Spain 2.481.942 39 20.11.2002 19.11.2012
Villas &… (Figurative) Spain 2.481.943 41 20.11.2002 19.11.2012
Villas &… (Textual) Spain 2.481.944 16 20.11.2002 19.11.2012
Villas &… (Textual) Spain 2.481.945 36 20.11.2002 19.11.2012
Villas &… (Textual) Spain 2.481.946 38 20.11.2002 19.11.2012
Villas &… (Textual) Spain 2.481.947 39 20.11.2002 19.11.2012
Villas &… (Textual) Spain 2.481.948 41 20.11.2002 19.11.2012
VILLAS.COM
Spain 2.522.493 16,35,36,38,39,41 07.07.2003 06.07.2013
VILLASDOTCOM Spain 2.522.493 16,35,36,38,39,41 07.07.2003 06.07.2013
VILLAS.EU
Spain M2597146 16,36,38 16.11.2004 15.11.2014
To bid on this portfolio of domains and the trademarks, go to DomainTools Live auction for more information.
Posted in Domain Auction, Domain Roundtable, DomainTools Auction |
3 Comments »
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