DotBrand expansion continues with launch of .radio, .wine and .insure

New domain name extensions are just some of hundreds of generic top-level domains (gTLDs) to open for registration. Novagraaf offers a complimentary early warning service to help trademark owners keep on top of domain launches and registration deadlines.

Why the new gTLDs?
Most organisations are familiar with generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD) extensions, such as .com, .org and .net. However, in 2012, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) offered companies the opportunity to apply to register and run new gTLD extensions. Many new extensions have since been launched with others now being opened for registration.

What does it mean for brand owners?
These new TLDs cover cities, regions and countries (such as .Brussels  and .uk), sports (such as .yoga and .cricket), retail outlets (such as .store and .pharmacy), and many other commercially relevant terms (not least .sucks). Brand owners need to consider which of these new domain names may offer opportunities (or potential dangers) to their businesses, and ensure that their trademarks are registered or protected on those new domains.

Managing key deadlines
With so many gTLDs opening for registration each month, it can be a challenge for brand owners to keep track of all the new TLD launches and their corresponding deadlines. For that reason, Novagraaf has developed an early warning service to notify brand owners of upcoming registrations and deadlines (subscribe for free here).

Trademark owners who have registered their brands at the Trademark ClearingHouse (TMCH) should pay particular attention to ‘Sunrise Periods’, in which they will have the opportunity to register domain names containing their trademarks before registration is open to all.

In order not to miss a Sunrise deadline, Novagraaf can help you to register your trademarks at the TMCH. Please get in touch for further information using the contact form above.

.Basketball, .Radio and .Boston
The Sunrise Periods for these three new gTLDs expire this month. Open registration for .insure, .luxury, .paris, .wine, .cars and .pizza are already underway.

If any of these gTLDs is potentially of interest to you, then get in touch to discuss your strategy for registration. More TLDs will be announced shortly so, even if these first domains are not of interest, it is important to start considering your approach to brand protection now. You can do so by subscribing to our early warning service or by speaking to your Novagraaf consultant.