Thursday, November 8, 2012

Digital Marketing & gTLD Strategy Congress

Thursday November 8, 2012. New York: The Digital Marketing & gTLD Strategy Congress today announced the keynote, speakers, initial sponsors, partners and dates for the inaugural event taking place March 11 & 12, 2013 in New York City.

By mid-2013, the current top level domains (TLDs) such as .com, .net and .org will be joined by several hundred new generic TLDs (gTLDs). These include branded additions such as .Walmart, .Amazon and .Google as well as generic category TLDs like .shop, .money and .app.
The Digital Marketing & gTLD Strategy Congress has been created to bring together digital marketing & branding leadership from the world’s most iconic brands, the creative minds from many of the leading branding agencies as well as the domain and registry community for two days of learning and networking in advance of the release of the first tranche of these new top level domains.

“More than 1900 applications for new TLDs have been received by ICANN, the internet’s governing body, many from leading brands who are looking to dominate or protect their own corner of the web” remarked Christine Hess, event director. ''Today's digital brands need to work fast to ensure that they have a strategy in place for a future with more than 1000 new top level domains.”

The congress is supported by The Advertising Club of New York, Afilias, Domain Diction, Domain Incite, CircleID, WIPR, The Domains, Domain Name Wire and Jovenet and features senior speakers from Afilias, Neustar, Landor, Donuts, Citibank, Dot.Org (The Public Interest Registry), Dot.Ski, Columbia Business School, and Deloitte.
Roland LaPlante, CMO and Senior Vice President of Afilias commented. “ICANN’s new gTLD program will forever change the way brands leverage the Internet. Brand Managers and Agencies that figure this out early will gain first mover advantages and a real boost versus competition.”

With ICANN presently expected to make their initial approvals by June 2013, this essential event is perfectly timed and located to provide applicant brands with the information and support they will need prior to launch - as well as give non applicant, and prospective applicant brands the information and guidance they need to navigate the new Internet landscape.
Conference keynote, Louis Cohen, SVP, Citibank, North America Marketing, Head of Search & Affiliate Marketing remarked “Whether your organization has applied for a Top Level Domain or not, any digital marketer or brand manager that is not already working on their strategy will be at a marked disadvantage once the new gTLD’s come onstream in 2013.”

To review the agenda outline and to inquire about the few remaining speaking opportunities please visit www.gtldworldcongress.com . For more information on speaking, sponsoring, partnering or attending, please contact Christine Hess at christine@convenecom.com.

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