Re: [wg-b] www.bye-bye-aol.com

[Jeff Shrewsbury Info Avenue <iamarketing@InfoAve.Net>]

A classic example of how a political or commercial statement can be
interwoven into a domain name alongside a famous trademark. The domain name
world is in for many, many more of these -- good and bad. Unless we can
forge a bullet-proof policy that protects free speech AND at the same time
curtails abusive behavior, we're going to have years and years of
litigation and stress over these issues.

I wonder what AOL's team of lawyers say about this.

Jeff Shrewsbury
Info Avenue

At 12:25 PM 11/29/99 -0500, Judith Oppenheimer wrote:
>Below is an August '98 Businesswire release put out by US
>Xchange for its www.bye-bye-aol.com site and service.  I'm
>curious how the group feels about this use of the AOL name
>in the domain name of an AOL competitor etc. ...
>
>Judith
>
>-----------------------------------------------
>
>Billboard Headline Leads to Interactive Payoff for
>Telecommunications Company
>
>
>    MILWAUKEE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 17, 1998--US
>Xchange is utilizing a unique multimedia campaign to
>advertise its
>new Internet services. The headline of US Xchange's new
>billboard,
>"www.bye-bye-aol.com" is also a registered Internet address
>for the
>company. Meyer & Wallis, creator of the campaign, is unaware
>of
>any other instance where a campaign's marketing message has
>been
>used as an Internet domain name.
>
>
>"The headline in this campaign could stand alone," said Tom
>Dixon creative director at Meyer & Wallis. "The fact that
>there is a
>registered interactive payoff when consumers type in
>www.bye-bye-aol.com on their web browser is unique."
>
>
>    "We suspect that people will be curious and try the
>advertised site just like the thousands of people
>who called 867-5309 and asked for Jenny in the 80s," added
>Steve Yoder, Copy Writer at Meyer &
>Wallis.
>
>
>    At "www.bye-bye-aol.com" consumers will be greeted with
>a waving animated hand and
>information on why they should switch from America Online to
>US Xchange Internet services. The
>interactive page begins with the copy: "So long slow,
>overcrowded online services. Farewell
>overpriced monthly access rates." And goes on to offer the
>starting rate of just $8.95 a month for fast,
>reliable access and better customer service than any of the
>existing providers. Visitors to the site than
>are provided an 800 telephone number, as well as a hot link
>to the US Xchange home page for
>sign-up information.
>
>
>    "Bye-bye-aol.com" (Billboard and Site)
>    Creative Director - Tom Dixon
>    Copy Writer - Steve Yoder
>    Art Director - Jim Brooks
>    Production Artist - Cathy Pritzl
>
>
>    Formed in 1996 by former telecommunications executives,
>US Xchange is a regional, full service
>telecommunications provider, mainly targeted to businesses,
>that offers more personal service than the
>existing competition. In addition to unparalleled service,
>US Xchange offers consumers a complete
>portfolio of telephone and Internet services,
>easy-to-understand invoicing, and guaranteed satisfaction.
>Currently, US Xchange services are available in targeted
>cities in Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana and
>Illinois.
>
>
>    Meyer & Wallis is a full service communications firm
>headquartered in downtown Milwaukee with
>a second office in Indianapolis. In addition to US Xchange
>major clients include: Meijer stores,
>Sheaffer Pen, Voortman Cookies, The Milwaukee Bucks,
>Shorewest Realtors, Pick 'n Save and
>Cardinal Stritch University.
>
>--
>Judith Oppenheimer, 1 800 The Expert, 212 684-7210
>mailto:joppenheimer@icbtollfree.com
>Publisher of ICB Toll Free News: http://icbtollfree.com
>Publisher of WhoSells800.com: http://whosells800.com
>Moderator TOLLFREE-L:
>http://www.egroups.com/group/tollfree-l/info.html
>President of ICB Consultancy: http://JudithOppenheimer.com:
>800 #
>Acquisition Management, Lost 800 # Retrieval, Litigation
>Support,
>Regulatory Navigation, Correlating Trademark and Domain Name
>Issues.
>
>
>