The top-level domain (TLD) “.AMFAM” is a branded TLD owned by American Family Mutual Insurance Company, S.I. (American Family Insurance). This branded TLD is one of the many introduced by ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers), the organization responsible for managing and coordinating the Domain Name System (DNS) to ensure that every address is unique.
Introduced as part of ICANN’s new generic top-level domain (gTLD) program, “.BRAND” TLDs allow companies to apply for, purchase, and maintain their brand name as a TLD. As of ICANN’s New gTLD Current Application Status report in 2021, there are 1,930 new gTLDs registered for evaluation.
The usage of a “.BRAND” TLD provides a vast number of benefits for businesses and organizations. For instance, this unique online identity can empower a brand by encouraging customer trust, providing heightened security against cyber threats, and enhancing online marketing strategies.
Having said that, since “AMFAM” is a branded TLD, it can only be used by American Family Insurance. The company uses this TLD to manage its online presence, with the “www.amfam.com” domain currently redirecting to the corporate site. While other similar branded TLDs such as “.google”, “.apple” and “.samsung” are recognized worldwide, “.AMFAM” is a less universally recognized branded TLD due to its insurance-specific nature. Albeit, American Family Insurance has established a significant clientele around this brand name.
There is a spectrum of comparable ‘.BRAND’ TLDs, ‘.bbc’, ‘.cisco’, ‘jcb’, ‘.canon’, etc., each being only utilized by their respective brand holders.
Given that ICANN’s new gTLD program is still relatively young, many of these “.BRAND” TLDs are still in the early stages of adoption and usage. Observers and researchers project that their prevalence will only rise as more brands identify and act upon the unique opportunities offered by these tailored TLDs.
While there are resources to familiarize and educate people about TLDs (for example, ICANN’s own website or ‘101domain’), the ultimate source of detailed and official information about specific TLDs like “.AMFAM” is the ICANN’s new gTLD Current Application Status.
Hence, in a nutshell, the “.AMFAM” TLD is a branded domain owned by American Family Insurance; it’s one piece of the broad branding strategy that aims to strengthen the company’s online identity, develop trust with its audience, and enhance security against cyber threats.
Sources:
1. ICANN’s new gTLD Current Application Status: https://newgtlds.icann.org/en/program-status/application-results/strings-1200utc-13jun12-en
2. ICANN website: https://icann.org/
3. 101domain: ‘The advantages of a .brand TLD’: https://blog.101domain.com/marketing-strategy/advantages-of-brand-tld
4. American Family Insurance Website: https://www.amfam.com/
