In June 2011, the Board of Directors of ICANN authorized the launch of the New gTLD Program, an unprecedented move with unknown potential impacts on internet governance policies, brand protection and marketing practices, and domain name pricing trends. This report, uniquely, examines these areas of impact, offering analysis and insights not found elsewhere.
It was ICANN’s hope to expand the domain name system’s (DNS) available so that:
- More “attractive” domain names were available, and to
- Introduce greater competition into the domain name services industry
ICANN’s New gTLD Program invited applications for new gTLDs between January and May 2012. They ultimately received 1,930 applications for new extensions.
The majority of new gTLDs will be delegated by the end of July 2016, per ICANN regulations.
The bigger question still remains. What has been its impact on internet governance, the domain name industry, and online marketing and brand protection?
What Has Been the Impact of the New gTLD Program Upon the Online Landscape?
Due to the novelty of the New gTLD Program, this information is largely unknown.
However, this report goes some way towards illuminating this information, outlining known current impacts and challenges and effects likely to come in the future.
Specifically our report focuses on:
- The history of the new gTLD program
- Pricing trends for domain names and new gTLDs
- The key industry players and domain name market outlook
- The global growth of the domain name system, and
- The Chinese government’s posture towards the New gTLD Program
Who Will Benefit From this Report and How Can They Utilize It?
The far-ranging content of the report will be of use to:
- Brand owners interested in understanding how new gTLDs can be harnessed to support brand marketing, promotion, and positioning strategies
- Government affairs specialists interested in the political implications of the Program or the IANA transition
- Legal experts in charge of protecting brand names and trademark use across the internet, and
- Domain name investors interested in industry trends and investment opportunities
About FairWinds
Founded in 2006 and located in Washington, D.C., FairWinds helps in-house counsel, domain name administrators, and marketing leads protect trademarks and promote their brands more effectively and efficiently on the expanding internet. We have a particular expertise with regard to the New gTLD Program, having advised and assisted 135 applicants, more than any other entity.
Since 2007, FairWinds has monitored, participated in, and developed relationships in the internet governance community that allow us to be an effective advocate for brands in interactions with members of the U.S. government, foreign governments, and ICANN.
An active member of the ICANN global multistakeholder community, FairWinds participates in ICANN’s three public meetings per year around the world. Members of our senior staff serve on a variety of constituent policy-making groups, including the Business Constituency and the Executive Committee of the Registries Stakeholder Group, that work on ICANN policy matters during the year.