FairWinds Partners — June 13, 2012
Today, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) posted the complete list of new gTLD applicants and what they applied for. While Reveal Day is, understandably, an important and long-anticipated day, the day the Internet really began to change was June 20, 2011, when ICANN’s Board voted to approve the New gTLD Program. It was on that day that brand owners had to begin to truly consider applying for new gTLDs, weighing the potential opportunity for innovation against the risk of being left behind, should these new extensions catch on.
We are now happy to confirm that along with the 1,930 new gTLD applications submitted, FairWinds has applied for .FAIRWINDS. Just like our clients’ applications, our application is the result of much discussion and careful deliberation. We have taken our responsibility to help brand owners navigate the decision to apply very seriously. We chose to invest right alongside our clients because of the same beliefs we shared with them, in the potential opportunities new gTLDs may hold for brands.
With such a high level of participation in the Program, it will still be a number of years before ICANN will be able to fully process the numerous new gTLD applications, and even longer before these new gTLDs will be delegated, go live, and begin affecting the way Internet users navigate online. But as stewards of the new Internet landscape, new gTLD applicants still have a lot of work to do, and many decisions to make, ahead of them. FairWinds is excited to count itself among this group of brand owners and innovators and we are looking forward to continuing to push the boundaries of the Internet’s frontier.