Fans of Happy Feet will be happy to know, that soon enough, when they type in the web address happyfeet2.com into their web browser they’ll be redirected to official web site of Warner Bros’ Happy Feet 2, set to premier in the U.S. on November 17, 2011, instead of a Go Daddy parked page.
In early July, Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc filed a complaint with the National Arbitration Forum over the domain name happyfeet2.com.
The case was simple for the single member panel.
Warner Bros. made the following assertions according to the domain decision posted online:
Complainant is a producer of motion pictures in the United States and abroad.
Complainant produced the HAPPY FEET film that debuted in 2006 in the United States and has become the third-highest grossing animated film in the United States with sales of $400 million worldwide.
Complainant owns trademark registrations on file with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) for its HAPPY FEET mark (including Reg. No. 3,350,899, registered December 11, 2007).
Complainant has used the HAPPY FEET mark in relation to the marketing of its film of the same name, as well as related toys, clothing, books and a variety of other merchandise bearing its mark.
Respondent registered the <happyfeet2.com> domain name on May 12, 2009, only seven days after Complainant publicly announced that it would be filming “Happy Feet 2,” a sequel to the original film.
Respondent uses the disputed domain name to redirect Internet users, for commercial gain, to a generic parking page which features links to the websites of others offering products or services related to and in competition with Complainant’s business.
Respondent offered to sell the disputed domain name to Complainant for not less than $2,500.
Respondent’s contested <happyfeet2.com> domain name is confusingly similar to Complainant’s HAPPY FEET mark.
Respondent is not commonly known by the disputed domain, and Complainant has not authorized Respondent to use its mark in a domain name.
Respondent does not have any rights to or legitimate interests in the domain name <happyfeet2.com>.
Respondent registered and uses the disputed <happyfeet2.com> domain name in bad faith.
In essence, Warner Bros. won.
You can read all the details about the domain dispute and decision here.
Warner Bros. Entertainment does own HappyFeetTwo.com, which it redirects to the official Happy Feet Two website on warnerbros.com.