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When ICANN introduced its revolutionary program in September the Asian and emerging markets had two questions: what’s so special about this gLTD program and how do you play in this exclusive arena? As the application deadline of Jan 12th 2012 approaches the confusion intensifies.

Arguments are flying from who will apply, who will wait, who will win or who will lose.

The biggest challenge is the lack of understanding of the delicate intricacies of the global; cyber name identity expansion program while a lot of information is available at www.icann.org. Still there is a serious need for some timely heated debates. Here are some key points.

Across emerging markets, there are thousands of new brands incubating while many times more in serious need of hyper visibility. A gTLD naming platform offers the fastest way to create hyper visibility and global presence as an intricate device for attracting massive customer acquisition. But would this provide that same magic in emerging markets? The answers are hidden in the applicant’s business model, their current name identity evaluation and specific global image identity expansion plans. Suddenly with the introduction of gTLD platforms a new level of marketing knowledge has erupted and the old thinking needs serious upgrade.

Firstly, for organizations seeking global name identity domination, ‘proposed name’ issues on deciding a winning combination are critical. For example which one will make a better gTLD brand AlphaTech or MegaTech? Or .locomoto, automoto, or .udrive, idrive, or .ucar mycar. On generic brands which will have more power? .car .auto .motor or Which would sell more? .tel, .cell or .mobile? Such fine-tuned formulation will decide the success and also the sub-name-brand pricing architecture to function under a winning master name’s usability and suitability while avoiding traps of duplication. That’s why a gTLD race will end up creating spectacular successes and possibly some catastrophic failures. The biggest challenge is to have in-depth understanding of all the new global cyber name identity disciplines with commanding knowledge.

The entire Asia and the emerging markets are currently flooded with small to medium enterprises. Despite all the controversies about high price of a gTLD in the range of USD500,000 it is still highly affordable. This investment is no more than the price of large single-highway signage over a 10-year lease. However, this one permits thousands of such luminous cyber structures over high-density information highways all over the world. Once an organization decides on a unique idea with the right name identity, the challenge will be to create, nurture and grow it with a successful sub-name brand-hierarchy and create profitable money-tree.

The emerging markets have unique diversity of people and skills. If we analyze the future of advanced level marketing and place the gTLD process in a hierarchy forming a pyramid, the base would consist of all the great concepts and specific ideas. The middle part would be procedures of application, legally guided processes reside. On the very pointed top of the pyramid would be the ‘proposed name identity’ with full supportive analysis as without that ‘name identity’s absolute winning certainty, the entire exercise would simply be futile, and the pyramid would collapse.

The multilingualization of the Internet domain names offers colorful variations of cultural strings to connect people and expands the horizon on ecommerce while engaging customers in their local habitat. When masses of Chinese, Hindustani, Russian, Spanish, Indonesian, Portuguese, French and Arabic get more involved with domain names in their own languages inviting hundreds of millions more online users, at each threshold, the Internet flow becomes more productive.

The first generation ‘English-only domain names’ served the markets very well but now the messages connecting the world have to bounce around the smallest villages. India just released a $35 laptop device to help half billion people enjoy the free flow of electronic commerce to improve their lives. The world is moving fast while ICANN is coping with more rapid domain name management and unlimited gTLD expansion platforms. All such developments point to better communication among the global populace, precise customer acquisition models and faster access to information and growth.

Research by AARM http://www.aarm.org shows that barely 2% of senior marketing executives have an understanding of gTLD while the remainders have no clue. It is almost as difficult as explaining a domain name two decades ago. Half knowledge is the worst kind of knowledge.

The new gTLD approach is a logical evolution towards global cyber name branding expansions. This subject of corporate nomenclature at this level of global naming complexity is neither taught at world’s leading universities nor discussed in top MBA courses. In response AZNA http://www.azna.com is offering highly specialized senior level training.

However, and at this critical stage, the associations of the advertising agencies from all over the world have taken a violent opposition this entire program. Their fear mongering is directly related to a lack of knowledge of ever expanding multi-lingual domain name base, global nomenclature complexities and the fear of losing their power to cyber-domain-name-management-registries. After all at the end of the day a gTLD is all about ‘granting global name identity license with unlimited sub-domain name-brand-expansion.’ The gradual power shifts toward ICANN to become the world’s largest influencer on the brand name identities expansion is a scary thought for ad agencies.

At this junction, chief marketers and ad agencies are seriously missing out the game as they could offer dynamic cyber presence driven offerings and bring gTLD naming combinations across Asia. They should re-strategize old name identities with innovative global sub-domain-name-system and prepare the key players from the region to become a formidable voice on the global cyber marketing scene.

There is a small window to play on this global arena but currently it’s the lack of knowledge and special skills to adopt winning strategies is the most serious handicap. The curtain will rise on January 12th 2012. Some will be players to be seen on the stage while others lined up as spectators.

Concluded.

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Naseem Javed author of Image Supremacy http://www.imagesupremacy.com is a world recognized authority on global naming and brand name identities complexities and expert on ICANN gTLD dot name global cyber branding affairs. He is founder of ABC Namebank, ...

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