The ICANN- gTLD Myth: It will hurt big trademark owners

Naseem Javed, CEO of ABCNameBank, explains why and how!

When a good name identity is super glazed with a good trademark protection plan there is no reason why it would be hurt by ICANN’s gTLD. For example, great names like Google, Sony, Panasonic, Rolex, Microsoft or CNN are not losing their sleep over GTLD while other mega corporations of the world, with names like United, National, Star, Total, Union, Monster, Metro or General are all scrambling and find refuge in declaring gTLD a new major threat.

Typically, when a name’s alpha structure is too weak to be distinct, diluted with hundreds identical or similar names, it becomes incapable to withstand the scrutiny and as such hangs in limbo, it just co-exist, it can neither enforce its rights nor stop others to use the same name. Tens of millions of big businesses around the world have names in limbo, where they feel stuck in the historic pride of their own name at its odd struggle and often do not have unlimited budgets to declare all out trademark wars. Most names in use today are often not qualified enough to be trademarked on any serious global plan.

A quick review of any global trade directory in any industry sector will provide a glaring proof of massive duplication.  Good name identities have nothing to fear while diluted and poorly structured names should not complain about gTLD but rather conduct internal name evaluation reviews and boldly explore burden of confusion in the market place and figure out long term winning solutions. Such name evaluation reports often become a power play within internal corporate politics as explained here.

However, it’s possible that a breakaway gTLD may easily encircle and choke a powerful established brand by the power of its new name personality for being too appealing, innovative and fiercely competitive. For this reason alone, established brands should review their current name identity position and carefully weigh against possible competitive new name identity adjustments.

The corporate nomenclature challenges are the most dramatic issues at this junction and especially for any dot brand application. Legal profession has rare and an exceptional opportunities to introduce some powerful logic in the corporate boardrooms and replace weak trademark portfolios and with solid Five Star Standard of Naming solutions.

Three serious questions for boardrooms; firstly, if the current name is clearly not available for global use then why corporation is still struggling in creating global presences all this time? Secondly at what point the corporation will bite the bullet and make a decision to solve this most critical issue. Lastly, what will be that magical solution to park the future destiny of the organization?

Just like the sweeping change to global marketing and branding caused by the invention of a domain name, the next wave of gTLD would be many times more powerful and dramatic. The winners and the losers of the new games will be easily identifiable. But unlike the early domain name game this one is ultra classy and a sophisticated maneuver.

About the Author:
Naseem Javed is recognized as a world authority on global naming complexities. He is currently helping corporations on ICANN’s new gTLD cyber-platforms and lecturing on corporate nomenclature frontiers and global cyber-branding. Naseem is also conducting series of exclusive webinars on how to evaluate and achieve iconic name status worldwide.