Ideas On Board faces reverse domain name hijacking ruling for Concreted.com

Recently, South Korean company Ideas On Board Corp. filed a complaint with the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center, attempting to obtain the domain name Concreted.com through UDRP proceedings. The complaint was ultimately dismissed and determined to be a reverse domain name hijacking (RDNH).

The disputed domain name Concreted.com was originally registered in 2000 and acquired by the current owner in 2011. The complainant, Ideas On Board, was founded in 2023 and specializes in fragrances and lifestyle products. It launched the CONCRETED brand of fragrances, with the trademark registered in South Korea in 2024. The complainant, represented by Marq Vision, argued that the domain name was consistent with its registered trademark and therefore entitled to transfer.

However, the respondent provided sufficient historical evidence of use, demonstrating that the domain name had been used for a website related to concrete resources since 2011 and had been publicly listed for sale long before the complainant's brand was established. Therefore, the domain name's registration and use predate the complainant's creation and use of the trademark.

The panel determined that bad faith registration was not possible in this case. Given the gap of over ten years between the domain name registration and the trademark registration, the complainant was unable to demonstrate malicious intent against its brand by the domain name holder. The panel also noted that the complainant's evidence was insufficient and that the complaint itself was abusive.

Ultimately, the panel dismissed the complaint and found the complainant guilty of reverse domain hijacking. This decision not only upholds the legitimate rights and interests of the domain name holder but also reaffirms that UDRP proceedings will not support attempts to seize pre-existing domain names years after trademark registration.