New gTLD Applications Include 664 Brands
The 1,930 new generic top level domain applications received by ICANN last week show some interesting trends. Around 78 percent of the applications are from Europe and North America. About 16 percent are from Asia-Pacific countries.
ICANN
A full 664 are brand applications from companies such as BBC and Apple.
Google made two separate applications for the parent company and Youtube.
A further sector-wise analysis of these 664 brand applications provided by MarkMonitor.com is even more interesting.
Technology obviously tops the list with 77 tech brands going for their own gTLD. The second and third sectors are media and financial companies with 72 and 71 applications. This is again not so surprising.
What is surprising is that manufacturing comes in fourth with 56 applications. It is above both online and services which have 49 and 46 applications. Auto has 43 and insurance has 36. It shows that manufacturing companies have shifted gear into the 21st century. They now realize the value of a gTLD in today’s internet based economy.
Retail and travel bookend the top 10 sectors which have the most gTLD applications with 35 and 26 applications respectively. CPG, pharmaceuticals, luxury and apparel make up the rest of the brand category applications. Another 80 applications have been made by brands which do not come under any of the aforementioned industry sectors.
Applicants put down a $5,000 deposit when they registered for an application slot. ICANN asked for a one time $185,000 fee for the evaluation alone. Those who got their own gTLD will now pay $25,000 per year for renewals. ICANN is a non-profit organization. Any excess money left over after the exercise will be used in consultation with the community.
