It looks like Playboy Enterprises is going after a few domain names with the word “centerfolds” in them. The company filed three separate UDRPs at the World Intellectual Property Organizations to try and wrest control of the following three domain names:
Centerfolds.com (WIPO case #D2018-1457)
PlayboyCenterfold.com (WIPO case #D2018-1455)
PlayboyCenterfolds.com (WIPO case #D2018-1456)
I would imagine the company will have a pretty decent shot at winning the later two UDRP cases considering they have the “Playboy” brand name in them. Obviously there could be mitigating circumstances, but PlayboyCenterfolds.com was just registered in April of this year and PlayboyCenterfold.com currently seems to utilize a zero click parking lander that seems to forward traffic elsewhere.
The UDRP for the Centerfolds.com domain name will be interesting. Whois records show that this domain name was created back in 1995, making it over 23 years old. When I tried to see how Centerfolds.com is being used, the domain name did not resolve for me.
The singular Centerfold.com domain name is owned by Playboy. It does not appear to be resolving for me, and a check on DownForEveryoneOrJustMe.com confirms that it is down.
According to Wikipedia, the centerfold “term was coined by Hugh Hefner, founder of Playboy magazine.” From what I can see using the USPTO TESS search, there are multiple trademarks for “centerfold.” Mind you I am not an attorney, but it looks like it’s not just Playboy that has a trademark on the term. There are appear to be some strip clubs called Centerfolds.
It will be interesting to see if the discussion focuses on whether or not the “centerfold” term has become generic.
I will be keeping an eye on these three UDRP filings.
Update: The domain registrant did not respond to the Centerfolds.com UDRP, and Playboy won.
I agree with ES on these UDRP. Centerfold is a generic definition term as of 2018. I doubt the complainant can hijack Centerfolds.com; unless they are using it in an active infringing manner on PPC or marketing Playboy related products. The Playboy related ones will likely be hijacked.