What if your website wasn’t just your brand dot com, but simply your brand? This isn’t just a far-fetched idea—it’s the core concept behind the New Generic Top-Level Domain Program. As the internet continues to evolve, the race for memorable and effective branding is more intense than ever. While most are still battling for the perfect .com, a select few are thinking bigger.
For a company like Booking.com, with its catchy “Booking.yeah” campaign, owning the .yeah top-level domain (TLD) could be a billion-dollar marketing idea hiding in plain sight.
Booking.com. — Booking.yeah!
For years, Booking.com has poured millions of marketing dollars into a single, brilliant slogan: “Booking.yeah.” It’s that little fist pump you do after scoring the perfect hotel deal, the pure excitement of seeing all your vacation plans fall neatly into place. They took that winning feeling and made it their slogan.
But what if they took it a step further? What if they owned the TLD .yeah?
It would be the ultimate power move, closing the loop between their brand message and online identity.
Their slogan would transform into a permanent piece of internet infrastructure that they exclusively own and control.
The next frontier of domains is here (again)
The program that makes this all possible is the New gTLD Program, overseen by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). It allows organizations to apply for and operate their own new gTLDs (also sometimes referred to as .brand TLDs).
The first round of new gTLD applications took place in 2012, during which hundreds of new domain extensions were introduced, from the generic (.app, .store) to the brand-specific (.google, .aws). Now, after years of anticipation, ICANN has announced that the next application round is slated to open in April 2026. This is a second chance for forward-thinking companies to secure a piece of the internet that is entirely their own.
From slogan to call to action
To see the power of this idea, we just need to look at the biggest advertising stage in the world: the Super Bowl.
For their 2025 Super Bowl commercial, Booking.com enlisted some of the most chaotic travelers imaginable: The Muppets. The ad highlight’s the platform’s ability to accommodate everyone, from finding a botique hotel for Miss Piggy to a family-friendly option, and even a ‘not-so-family-friendly’ spot for a bride-to-be. It’s funny, endearing, and it ends with Gonzo delivering the brand’s signature slogan: “Booking.yeah.”
Booking.com invests millions to own an emotional peak around the word “yeah,” why not capitalize on that investment by turning their slogan into a call to action?
By owning Booking.yeah, the company would create a powerful tool to maximize the ROI on their ad spend. This isn’t about replacing the primary Booking.com domain, which is a valuable digital asset. The strategy complements it by seamlessly redirecting users to targeted landing pages, like one featuring specific deals, destinations or the Muppet characters seen in the commercial, providing clear, measurable results.
It’s not a one-off campaign either, this asset would extend beyond television. “Go to booking dot yeah” is a catchy and memorable call to action on any meidum, from podcasts to billboards and print ads, ensuring that every dollar spent on their slogan continuously compounds for years to come.
Is a custom TLD right for your brand?
While the Booking.yeah example is a slam dunk, owning a TLD might be the right move for you too.
Here’s why:
- Unparalleled Brand Recognition: Your TLD is your brand. Owning your own TLD gives you a level of brand recognition that is simply unattainable when you’re one of millions of .com domains.
- Enhanced Security and Trust: A brand-specific TLD can significantly reduce the risk of phishing, cybersquatting, impersonation, and BEC, as you control the entire namespace.
- Marketing Creativity: As the Booking.com example illustrates, a brand TLD opens up a world of creative marketing possibilities that can seamlessly blend your online and offline campaigns.
Don’t let your “.YEAH” moment pass you by
The application process for a new gTLD requires strategic planning. Potential applicants need to have a clear vision for their TLD and the financial and technical capabilities to create and operate it. This is where having a trusted partner with deep expertise in the domain landscape is crucial.
At 101domain, we have been at the forefront of all new domain launches and have spent nearly three decades navigating the complexities of the domain world. While the .brand application process is a specialized journey, our Corporate Services Team is ready to guide you.
Interested in applying for a TLD?
Give us a call today +1.888.982.7940.
P.S. If you work for Booking.com and are reading this, we would love to help you make .yeah a reality!