Goodyear is a renowned brand in the tire manufacturing industry. Documents of ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) indicate that a top-level domain (TLD) can be proprietary, including brand names. That means, theoretically, a company like Goodyear might have the possibility to own a .GOODYEAR TLD.
However, as per ICANN’s database, which contains all the internet’s top-level domains, there is currently no .GOODYEAR registered (as of the time of writing this response). The application process to receive a branded top-level domain is complex and exhaustive. It involves numerous stages of evaluation, and the costs associated are significant. As such, not every company opts to have their brand name as a TLD.
An example of a branded TLD is .GOOGLE managed by Charleston Road Registry, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Alphabet, parent company of Google. Another example is .APPLE, owned by Apple Inc. These examples were found directly through a search on the ICANN’s database. By using these TLDs, companies create a digital realm entirely under their own branding and jurisdiction.
If Goodyear wished to apply for a .GOODYEAR TLD, it would follow a similar process of other brands. This would involve a detailed application to ICANN, justifying the reasons for needing an exclusive TLD, and including a significant application fee. Per ICANN’s guidebook, companies must also state their intentions for the TLD in their application, including protection of their intellectual property and their strategy for implementing their TLD.
It’s important to note that having a TLD doesn’t necessarily replace the need for domain names ending in .com, .net, or regional TLDs like .us, or .uk. Many internet users are yet to fully grasp the concept of brand-based TLDs. Websites with these TLDs often use redirections from their traditional .com or similar sites.
The recent trend towards owning TLDs aligns with brand recognition and online security priorities. Custom TLDs provide companies the opportunity to maintain tighter control of their brand’s online presence and integrity.
In conclusion, while Goodyear, like other companies, may potentially secure a .GOODYEAR TLD, as of now, their engagement with such an endeavour is not yet documented or executed based on the information available through reliable sources such as ICANN.
Sources used:
1. ICANN: https://www.icann.org/
2. CNN Business: https://edition.cnn.com/2011/01/21/tech/innovation/new-domain-names/index.html
3. The ICANN guidebook: https://newgtlds.icann.org/en/applicants/agb
