The imminent change in domain names that will be ushered in by ICANN's new gTLD (generic Top-Level Domain) program is turning into a veritable war.

A last-minute campaign to stop it is being led by the Association of National Advertisers (ANA), which has reached out to the American Association of Advertising Agencies, the Direct Marketing Association, and more than 20 other advertising and marketing organizations to join their protest. They're lobbying Congress and the Commerce Department on the new TLD program, which is scheduled to commence on January 12th, with the ANA telling Adweek they will take their objections to court if necessary.

Separately, another consortium of brands and trademark holders calling themselves CADNA, or the Coalition Against Domain Name Abuse, is hosting a conference today in New York, where they will discuss their concerns and collective proposal to ICANN. With speakers including the VP of legal for DirecTV and the former VP of digital for Mattel, CADNA is taking a less aggressive approach to the issue.Continue reading...

Internet real estate as we know it will change irrevocably on January 12th, when the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) starts taking applications for its new Top-Level Domain Program.

There are (currently) 22 generic TLDs (gTLDs) such as .com, .org and .net, and 250 specific country-code TLDs (ccTLDs) like .ca for Canada, .uk for the United Kingdom, .jp for Japan and .mx for Mexico. Come January, however, virtually any word or brand name can become a gTLD for a $185,000 application fee, proof of being able to pay for the gTLD going forward, and sufficient justification by the brand.

Dotbranding introduces a whole new way to surf the web, enhancing companies’ SEO strategy, heightening protection against interlopers and cybersquatters, and letting brand names serve as web addresses with the potential for a variety of sub-domains.

Deloitte, Canon, Hitachi, Motorola and UNICEF are filing for their .brand web addresses, according to Marketing Week in the UK.Continue reading...

As brands mull over whether to purchase the dot-brand URL versions of their names as part of ICANN's new online gTLD domain naming rules (along with the new application procedures), place-based brands are securing their preferred top-level domains.

eWeek Europe reports that there's a move to secure the .london domain for the city of London, while .scot is being eyed by Scottish officials for tourism and place branding digital duties.

Meanwhile, in another part of the dotbranding URL saga, one month today (Oct. 28) is the deadline for brand owners to block others from snapping up the "brand.xxx" versions of digital domains — and possible .XXXploitation of their cherished, trademarked brand names.

While plenty of companies are busy blocking their products from being used in the .xxx URLs that will be used to identify sites with pornographic material, there is one brand in particular that is embracing (among other things) the concept: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.Continue reading...

The Internet domain name industry is in upheaval as the self-appointed central authority, ICANN, is challenged by seismic shifts in economics and consumer choice.

The debate over new and expanded gTLD’s is heating up even more as Monday’s latest version of the gTLD Applicant Guidebook along with a new dedicated microsite were released.

The deadline to register in ICANN’s TLD Application System (TAS) in the first round is January 12 through April 12, 2012, with registration in the TAS by 11:59 pm UTC on March 29, 2012. 

As FairWinds Partners advised clients this week, “ICANN can continue to amend the Guidebook as it sees fit with no community input and no outside review process. It can even alter the Guidebook after the application period opens on January 12, 2012. So stay alert, keep reading gTLD Strategy for policy updates, and please email us with any questions.” 

Voices from all corners are weighing in on the imminent changes where money will buy brands domains.Continue reading...

As the twin gods of fate and irony would have it, an online search for "the Tea Party" promotes the Canadian rock band of the same name, with teaparty.com leading to the band's homepage, where visitors are met with the greeting: “No politics…just Rock and Roll.”

The Led Zeppelinesque Canadian band officially broke up in 2005 but they regrouped this year for a reunion tour. Still, their domain name is being eyed by the US Tea Party movement and others with a political agenda. With 2012 US campaigning heating up the band's domain name is a hot property, still high in Google rank and the first web address that comes to mind for the political Tea Party.

The digital situation is confusing to all concerned, including the musicians. “So much damage has been done to our name by the political movement that we’re considering selling” the domain, comments the band's bassist, Stuart Chatwood, to Bloomberg Businessweek.Continue reading...

ICANN's new "generic Top-Level Domain" (gTLD) initiative continues to create controversy and confusion.

The board of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers voted in June that any word in any language can now be used as the suffix on a URL, so brand owners can now pony up to buy .pepsi, .nike or .mtv instead of being limited to .com, .net, .org, .edu and other more common web address endings.

The problem: anyone can submit a name (along with a non-refundable $185,000 fee) for a gTLD, sparking fears of cybersquatters and irritating brands and organizations that already own their trademarks. It's also unclear whether switching to a new so-called "dotbrand" will boost online search engine results and strengthen digital branding, or override the long tail of digital equity that many brands have spent years establishing online with a seasoned dotcom address.

Our blog post on ICANN's gTLD ruling noted that while New York City pounced on .nyc, other brand marketers are taking a wait-and-see approach. Responding to the debate raging over gTLDs, ICANN president Rod Beckstrom — speaking Monday at the Futurecom conference in Sao Paolo, Brazil — stated that the organization is not "advocating" gTLDs, just enabling them.

Beckstrom emphasized in his remarks to Futurecom attendees: "I want to make clear that ICANN is an organization that is not advocating new gTLDs for anyone. Our role is merely facilitation to implement the policy and the programs approved by our community, so we are here to educate not to advocate."

To understand the pros and cons of gTLDs and dotbranding, read Interbrand's new white paper, "What's in a Domain? Generic Top-Level Domains and the New Dotbrand Frontier" and tell us what you think in this week's debate.

As if the online world wasn't already challenging to navigate, ICANN, the company that regulates Internet names, this week ushered in a sweeping new change to the "dot" convention that could result in a virtually endless stream of new web addresses.

While familiar extensions such as "dot-com," "dot-net," and "dot-org," will not go away, added to the mix will be dot-just about anything. The current 22 gTLDs (generic Top Level Domains) will be expanded to unlimited possibilities since any person or company will soon be able to apply for a name ending in, well, you name it.

The move "usher(s) in a new Internet age," said Peter Dengate Thrush, Chairman of ICANN's Board of Directors. "We have provided a platform for the next generation of creativity and inspiration."

True, but ICANN has also provided a platform for what could amount to "the dawn of a chaotic new era with companies and other groups expected to battle over suffixes," according to Reuters.Continue reading...

Apple is bigger than the Greek economy.

Barack Obama steps up with personal tweets.

BlackBerry parent RIM's financial woes see executives and developers exit.

BMW faces tougher competition from Audi and Mercedes-Benz.

Colgate completes acquisition of Sanex personal care brand.

Foursquare passes 10 million user mark.

Google will digitize 250,000 out-of-copyright titles for the British Library.

HopStop adds 20 cities.

IBM readies social media tracking solution.Continue reading...