Monday 28 July 2014
The three-month Dot London launch period, during which applications from Londoners and London-based organisations are given priority, ends this week.
With just four days remaining, London’s property and entertainment industries are proving to be the most popular choice for new Dot London web addresses, reflecting the capital’s attraction as a place to live, relax and do business.
Terms connected with the housing market, such as properties.london (which has received more than 30 applications), apartments.london and houses.london are among the most sought after Dot London domain names. Trades that serve the property industry are also proving popular, with addresses such as removals.london and scaffolding.london receiving numerous applications, while there are three times as many applications for estateagent.london as for lettingagent.london.
However, the most popular Dot London domain name is nightlife.london, with more than 40 applications. London’s pre-eminence in the entertainment sector is also reflected in the popularity of domain names such as whatson.london, theatretickets.london and concerts.london.
The initial launch phase for Dot London, where applications from Londoners and London-based organisations are given priority status, ends at 5pm on July 31. Trademark holders also have until July 31 to register their applications. More information is available at www.dotlondondomains.london
The Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: “London is the best place in the world to come and live, work and relax so it’s no surprise that’s reflected in the most popular new Dot London web addresses. Until Thursday we are putting Londoners at the front of the queue for new domain names so I would urge everyone in the capital who wants one to come forward to grab the opportunity.”
Leading businesses and international brands are among those that have applied for new Dot London domain names during the initial phase. They include the menswear firm dunhill London, The Landmark Hotel, The Royal College of Art, ZSL London Zoo and Cath Kidston. They will join Dot London pioneers such as Fortnum Mason, the London Symphony Orchestra and Metro Bank as some of the first businesses to secure a Dot London address.
By acquiring a Dot London domain name, businesses, museums, shops, theatres and galleries will secure a web address that is more relevant to them as a London brand, easy to remember and instantly identifies them as being located in London or having an association with the city.
Natasha Hinds-Payne, who is responsible for protecting the Cath Kidston brand online, said: “London is the city where the Cath Kidston brand was founded. We’ve registered our name under the Dot London Priority period because we want to ensure that customers wishing to reach us in London can find us with ease and because of the direct association to our brand’s birthplace.”
Dot London is one of more than 1,000 new Top-Level Domains (‘TLDs’) being released by ICANN, the global internet body, as alternatives to .com or .co.uk, a move hailed by ICANN as changing the internet forever.
Dot London offers a once in a generation opportunity for businesses and individuals to secure their ideal domain name before it’s gone. However, for leading brands it also presents a challenge. Businesses need to consider whether and how they should protect their intellectual property and how they could use the new domains to their advantage.
David Green, Head of Global Digital Marketing at KPMG, said, “The Internet is changing, impacting how brands and businesses engage with their customers in an increasingly digital economy. The city’s new Dot London domain presents London-based businesses with an important opportunity: a Dot London domain signals a geographical relationship with the city, providing greater relevance for anyone searching for a particular supplier or business in London, as well as branding benefits of association with one of the world’s leading city brands.”
Louise Popple, senior associate in the Trade Marks, Media and Copyright practice at international law firm Taylor Wessing, said: “The launch of Dot London is an exciting opportunity for anyone with a connection to the city. Going forward, it should be possible to search just amongst Dot London websites, which – in the crowded internet space – will be a significant bonus for London businesses. But it does open up the possibility of abuse. Brand owners with a strong London connection would be wise to register their brand as a Dot London domain, even if only to avoid the risk of cyber squatters. Registering domains tends to be much cheaper than fighting to recover them.”
Demand for Dot London domain names remains strong with registrars – companies such as Go Daddy, Fasthosts, 11, and 123-reg – that sell domain names.
Simon Yeoman, UK General Manager at Fasthosts Internet Ltd said: “We have seen great interest and a strong demand for Dot London. It is vital that London-based firms take advantage of the London Priority Period and grasp their domains first. Dot London was created for them and will become an ever-more valuable asset. With just some days until priority applications start to be awarded, we’re looking forward to seeing our first Dot London customers’ websites grow online.”
Stefano Maruzzi, VP of EMEA at GoDaddy, said: “Brand London is stronger than ever. A global hub of technology, creativity and innovation, the UK capital is a city synonymous with success. The Dot London domain is the ideal address for businesses looking to associate themselves with the city and a fantastic springboard for companies looking to carve out their digital identity. It’s time for businesses and individuals to register and associate themselves with one of the world’s greatest cities.”
Notes to Editors
For more information visit the website www.dotlondondomains.london
¹ During London Priority Period from 29 April until 31 July 2014, anybody with an interest in London can apply for a Dot London domain name. Allocation of names will depend on a priority ranking. The following priority ranking will be used:
- Trademarks verified with ICANN’s Trademark Clearinghouse database
- Londoners (those with a physical address in the City of London or its 32 boroughs) with rights to a name (such as proof of business or trading name
- Londoners (those with a physical address in the City of London or its 32 boroughs
- Non-Londoners
During August 2014, Dot London will allocate names according to priority ranking. Domain names with a single applicant will be allocated first. In cases where there is more than one applicant in the same priority ranking for the same domain name, an auction will decide who will get the name. Validation will be used to assess where applicants fall in the priority ranking.
At the end of London Priority Period, if there is more than one applicant in the same priority ranking, those applicants will be invited by their registrars to participate in an auction for the applied-for domain name. Applicants may choose to participate or withdraw from the auction. The auction will then take the form of a private and closed auction via an online platform.
About London Partners.
London Partners is the official promotional company for London. We promote London and attract businesses, events, congresses, students and visitors to the capital. Our aims are to build London’s international reputation and to attract investment and visitor spend, which create jobs and growth.
London Partners is a not-for-profit public private partnership, funded by the Mayor of London and our network of commercial partners.
For more information visit www.londonandpartners.com
About ICANN:
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) manages internet domains. It was founded in 1998 and is responsible for the internet’s system of unique identifiers and ensures the internet’s stability and security.
More information can be found at http://www.icann.org
About Minds + Machines Group Limited
Minds + Machines Group Limited is a publicly traded operating company listed on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange focused on the new generic top level domain (‘New gTLD’) space. Top level domains, such as .com and .net, are regulated by ICANN. ICANN is currently expanding the number of new generic top-level domains from the current 23 to over 1000 through its ‘New gTLD program’. The Group is one of the leading applicants for, and owner and operator of, new gTLDs under this programme.
About Minds + Machines’ Registry and Registrar operations
Minds + Machines’ registry operations are delivered by its wholly owned registry services providers: Minds + Machines Limited (Ireland), which works internationally with commercial organizations, cities, not-for-profits and entrepreneurs to operate New gTLDs; and Minds and Machines Limited (UK), which partners with the official promotional organization for London, London Partners, to operate the Dot London New gTLD. In addition, the Group wholly owns Minds + Machines Registrar Limited (Ireland) and Minds and Machines Registrar UK Limited, each an ICANN accredited registrar through which the public can buy domain names in new and existing top level domains. Further information on Minds + Machines’ registry and registrar operations can be found at www.mm-registry.com and www.mindsandmachines.com, respectively.
Contact
Norval Scott, Media PR Manager FDI
Tel: +44 (0) 207 234 5789
nscott@londonandpartners.com
London Partners Media PR Team
Tel: +44 (0)20 7234 5710
Switch: +44 (0)20 7234 5800
press@londonandpartners.com
