The .netflix Dot
Brand
Netflix,
Inc. has more than 23 million streaming members in the USA, Latin America,
Canada, the UK and Ireland. It is a major global internet subscription
service for the viewing of movies and TV series which can be accessed
on just about any internet-connected screen. Subscribers can pay a monthly
fee for unlimited viewing.
Netflix
will use the .netflix extension to distribute services and information
to its customers in a new and convenient form. Navigation will be simplified.
This new and distinctive domain space will also enable the delivery
of user-driven improvements and innovations that will assist in marketing
and promotional activities. The .netflix domain names will be used to
broadcast content that entices viewers to watch various movies, TV shows
and other entertainment categories.
The marketplace
in which Netflix competes with its rivals is fast moving and innovative.
Netflix hopes that a .netflix gTLD, which is consistent with its NETFLIX
brand, will help it compete by serving as the authoritative namespace
for .netflix goods and services.
Viewers
will be assured of the authenticity of the Netflix brand when accessing
content on the company's TLD. Since only Netflix and authorised affiliates
and partners will be permitted to use the string (which will be a restricted
registry) consumers will be able to assign a high level of trust to
the proposed series of websites. This should also contribute to building
Netflix's online reputation.
The TLD
will create "improved marketing and communications opportunities"
for Netflix. Internet users will be engaged more directly and effectively
and will enjoy a more positive experience.
Netflix
seeks innovative ways to provide entertainment and educational content
to the global internet community and improve the customer experience.
The .netflix gTLD will offer a brand-specific and tailored customer
experience that reflects Netflix's emphasis on continuous innovation
and increased customer trust.
The Applicant
holds a global portfolio of "Netflix" trademarks.
The use
of the .netflix gTLD together with the NETFLIX brand will differentiate
the Netflix service as a trusted and preferred site...
The new
TLD will enable Netflix to create new and relevant domain names on demand.
These will provide greater choice for consumers. Lack of availability
or high cost on the secondary domain market will no longer be obstacles
— domains can be created at will driven purely by their relevancy
to services or products. The company anticipates registering only a
limited number of around 50-100 domains in the first year of operation.
Netflix
plans to develop and strengthen its online strategy for .netflix including
specialized marketing and communications in order to provide strong
customer service and personalized customer experience. As such, the
number of registrations is likely to increase to about 200 to 500
domain names in the following few years.
The new
names will have various applications such as marketing, specialty service
and product development. The company also allows for the possibility
of using internationalized domain names and non-English websites further
into the future.
Netflix
anticipates launching its brand TLD via its regular public relations
activities and marketing communications. In the first stage, users will
generally be re-directed from the new brand domains to existing traditional
websites.
The internet
in general has suffered from a loss of confidence due to online criminal
activities such as data breaches and hacking. By implementing strong
security measures, the .netflix string is expected to facilitate greater
trust and assurance for online customers. The restricted nature of the
registry will prevent unaffiliated parties from "domain squatting"
— using the company trademark on unauthorized websites. The brand
domains will thus alleviate consumer confusion.
Since it
will be a private and restricted corporate registry, malicious conduct
can be eliminated from the namespace. This is directly in the public
interest. Privacy and personal information will also be protected.
Netflix
will work with its back-end registry provider Neustar Inc to prevent
any malicious or abusive domain activity such as fraud, spam, phishing,
pharming, malware distribution and botnets etc.
 Geographic
Dot Brands
In the
initial stage of the launch of its brand TLD, Netflix will comply with
the requirements of the Registry Agreement, Specification 5 and reserve
from reservation all relevant country & territory domain names.
The general intent of Specification 5 in this context is to respect
the rights of various governments to their own names.
However,
Netflix believes that several of the registry recommendations are more
applicable to open registry models (ie open generic TLDs like .web and
.app) than to single-registrant operational models (ie the brand domains).
To this
extent, the Applicant believes that the use of geographic terms will
be beneficial rather than detrimental to internet users, because country
identifiers will reassure them about the relevancy of associated websites
and help to avoid confusion.
Netflix
believes that the use of geographic terms can provide great benefit
and simplicity to internet users because these terms are intuitive
ways to resolve to Netflix's content that is specifically relevant
and targeted to users in the particular geographic region and in line
with local customs, laws and regulations.
Netflix
anticipates that ICANN will create a process whereby the brand domains
will be able to request GAC approval to register country & territory
domains (since there will be no market for such names and little risk
of abuse or confusion). When that transpires the company intends to
apply for the release of such names, subject to a "challenge mechanism"
that will be available to all governments.
Generally,
it is extremely unlikely that Netflix's tightly controlled use of
any cc.netflix or countryname.netflix domain name could be confusing
or detrimental to users, or otherwise offensive to any country.
NOTE: cc
= country code
Netflix
has a strong desire to respect the sovereign interests of governments
around the world and will not use geographic names in the .netflix TLD
until ICANN has approved them. Its application proposes several alternative
methods under which it would like to work with ICANN, the GAC and/or
various governments to achieve this aim.
Possible .netflix
Brand Domains
Movies.netflix
TV.netflix
Subscribers.netflix
Program.netflix
Programme.netflix
Blog.netflix
Connect.netflix
Support.netflix
InvestorRelations.netflix
HouseOfCards.netflix
BreakingBad.netflix
Notes
Brand
names mentioned on this site are registered trademarks or trademarks
of their respective corporations. This site claims no association
with or endorsement by any of these corporations and their marks are
mentioned only to illustrate opinion presented in the public interest.
All quotations
on this page are from the respective companies' official ICANN brand
TLD applications unless otherwise stated.
Many possible
theoretical dot brands are mentioned (in English). There are also countless
possibilities in other languages. This has significant potential value
for international navigation.
This site
is focused on reporting the strategic impact of the brand domains on
internet communication, competition and commerce, and some comment is
speculative.
It is not
a comprehensive overview of what some of the world's largest corporations
have chosen to reveal about their plans for the implementation of their
proprietary domain strings.
ICANN is
particularly concerned with the technical, financial, security and legal
issues associated with the new TLDs. These issues are beyond the scope
of this website.
For a comprehensive
overview of the brand domains and their impact on the web, refer to
ICANN's website and the individual applications (large parts of which
are publicly published).
If you
have a particular interest in an individual company, the public aspects
of their applications are available for download via these ICANN links:
You can also search a complete list of applicants there.
ICANN
new gTLD applications
ICANN
official website
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