{"id":44854,"date":"2024-09-19T10:37:47","date_gmt":"2024-09-19T10:37:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ebrand.com\/?p=44854"},"modified":"2024-12-09T15:02:57","modified_gmt":"2024-12-09T15:02:57","slug":"shaping-tomorrow-two-tales-of-brand-applications-from-the-last-new-gtld-round","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ebrand.com\/es\/blog\/shaping-tomorrow-two-tales-of-brand-applications-from-the-last-new-gtld-round\/","title":{"rendered":"Two Tales of .Brand Applications from the Last new gTLD Round"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Imagine owning your personal online space\u2014a digital territory that only you control, allowing you to structure and model it however you wish. For businesses, this was the opportunity presented by ICANN<\/a> over 10 years ago, and a new window will open in April 2025. It’s a chance to create a .brand domain space, an exclusive digital island for your business. While adoption and innovation in this space have been slow, some companies seized this opportunity, using .brand domains to build stronger, more secure digital identities with their new gTLDs. Others overestimated the potential or failed to recognize the opportunity altogether. These differing outcomes offer valuable lessons for businesses considering a .brand in the future. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"This<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Now is the time for brand owners to start evaluating the upcoming opportunity. Learn how you can get ready, using the EBRAND New gTLD and .brand solutions<\/a> and consulting services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tale 1: The Brand That Should Not Have Registered the New gTLD, But Did<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Our first story takes us to an B2B company with an abbreviation as its name. This name also happened to be an English word, making it commonly used by other businesses and third parties. When the new gTLDs became available, the company\u2019s legal team immediately pushed for the registration of a .brand domain. Their motivation was simple: they feared someone else might register the same string, potentially diluting their brand or damaging their reputation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But there was a problem. The decision to register the gTLD was driven entirely by the legal department, with no support from other critical teams like marketing or communications. No one stopped to ask whether the gTLD fit the company\u2019s long-term goals or whether it aligned with the brand\u2019s digital strategy. Once the new gTLD was registered and delegated, a key question arose: Now what?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What’s Next: Implementing a .brand New gTLD<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The company lacked a clear plan for how to use the .brand domain effectively. The IT department raised concerns about integrating the new domain into existing systems, while the marketing team had no focus or creative ideas on how to leverage the new gTLD for customer engagement or brand growth. To appease management, a few internal pages were created, and some low-effort promotional campaigns were launched, but without a coherent strategy, the domain quickly became a neglected asset with no tangible value added to the company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, this is an all too common story. Many brands that registered new gTLDs in the last phase did so out of fear, without a comprehensive plan. As a result, these new gTLDs were either underutilized or abandoned altogether.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Lesson<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Businesses should never register a new gTLD out of fear. The success of a .brand domain depends on collaboration between all stakeholders\u2014legal, marketing, IT, and communications\u2014and on recognizing the strategic opportunities it presents. When a company registers a new gTLD without a clear plan for its use, it risks wasting resources and missing out on the potential benefits a .brand domain can offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tale 2: The Company That Should Have Registered a .Brand, But Didn\u2019t<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Now let\u2019s look at the opposite scenario: a company that didn\u2019t register a new gTLD, but should have. Imagine you\u2019re the head of digital marketing at a major international sports brand. Your brand is globally recognized, and you have a loyal customer base. In 2012, the opportunity arises to create your own .brand gTLD, but instead of seizing this chance, the digital marketing team decides it\u2019s not worth the investment. The idea isn\u2019t even presented to senior management, with the team deciding the existing domain setup is sufficient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But what if they had taken the leap?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

With their own .brand gTLD, this sports company could have transformed its digital presence and strategy. The possibilities were vast:<\/p>\n\n\n\n