Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited has submitted an application to the authority in charge of Internet domains in an effort to establish a top-level domain named after the accounting firm: .deloitte.
Deloitte said Wednesday that it had submitted the application to the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, also known as ICANN. The main goal of creating its own TLD is to give the Deloitte brand a more personalized online presence and enhance the user experience.
The firm does not expect the .deloitte domain extension to catch on like better-established TLDs such as .com or .org.
"Being a pioneering applicant for a TLD aligns with the Deloitte brand's positioning and marketplace presence as leader, innovator, and impact maker," said DTTL managing director of global brand and communications Heather Hancock. "Additionally, the '.deloitte' TLD will offer improved site accessibility and usability to Deloitte member firm clients, recruits, and others for an enhanced online experience—and lay a foundation for future online innovation."
A TLD will also help ensure that the internal online activity and exchange of information among the firm’s employees remains secure. Having its own TLD can help to serve as a defense against counterfeit operations that could harm an organization's reputation—including "domain squatting," in which fraudulent websites are created to profit from using a brand name belonging to a legitimate business.
"Adopting a '.deloitte' TLD can help to protect as well as enhance the Deloitte brand," said DTTL global chief information officer Larry Quinlan. "With the rollout of the TLD, Deloitte member firms will continue as industry leaders in providing clients and people with world-class IT security."
DTTL global chief knowledge officer Tracey Edwards views the move as safeguarding the firm’s corporate intellectual property, noting, “The '.deloitte' TLD will further reinforce the safety of Deloitte member firms' intellectual property, as well as the exchange of information among their people and their clients."
