The Domain of Fame: Emma Stone’s Super Bowl Ad and the Power of Digital Branding
The Greatest Show on Earth
Each year, the Super Bowl not only tops the TV viewing figures in the US, but represents the pinnacle of advertising exposure for brands. Only a relatively small number of companies will consider the investment in an ad during one of the most sort after opportunities to elevate awareness of their brand.
Thirty second ad slots during the broadcast can command fees of up to $7 million dollars, putting a brand front and centre to a domestic audience of over 125 million. The most successful ads, those that can measure positive return on investment and high recall values, need to stand out from the crowd. They need a hook and a clear call to action.
Staying One Step Ahead
During the half time break in February’s Super Bowl LX, one advert stood out, at least for those who have more than a passing interest in intellectual property. “Unavailable,” was a 30 second, black and white, film noir style ad about twice Oscar winning actress Emma Stone not being available to register her own name as a domain name (emmastone.com).
The ad was for Squarespace, a domain registrar that provides an all-in-one platform for building and hosting websites, running online stores. Their advert, focusing on the actress’ search for a domain name was, in the key online search tenants, meaningful, memorable and relevant.
Stone’s message was clear. Register your domain name (using Squarespace) before someone else will. In her case, the domain had been registered for nearly 25 years, using Markmonitor. But other brand holders, agencies and IP firms who manage the digital IP who saw the ad may not have the same luck securing the domains their clients.
Staying one step ahead of potential cybersquatters is a key brand protection strategy for any business, content creator or organization who manages intellectual property on behalf of clients. Trademarks, patents, designs and perhaps more importantly, domain names are critical digital assets. Protecting them starts with a registration and monitoring strategy. Stone’s advert underlines that key fact — register and protect your intellectual property before someone else does.
The Cost of Doing Something Versus Nothing
Recovering assets, such as domain names, can be a very expensive task. Domain names can be bought and sold on the secondary market for millions of dollars, a significant value considering that most cost less than $10 to register initially. Which is why its vital to have a comprehensive brand asset activation and recovery strategy when launching a new brand, product or even content creator long before details are shared with the public.
Trying to acquire already registered domain names is one option for any entity who needs to stay on top of the intellectual property portfolio. Often entities start on the back foot in terms of negotiation, having to deal with professionals who understand the value of domain names. But there is soon to be a limited opportunity to acquire a digital asset that trumps any existing registrations.
The New gTLD Application Opportunity
In April 2026, the Internet Committee for Assigned Names and Numbering (ICANN) will welcome applications from entities who wish to own and operate their own Top-Level Domain. So, instead of trying to acquire a domain name like emmastone.com, the actress could own .emmastone and have total control over what appears to the left of the dot. Nobody else could register domain names utilise her IP, protecting the brand from any future cybersquatting.
The application window occurred once previously, back in 2012, which allowed global organizations such as Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, BMW, Nike and others to apply and own their Top-Level Domain. The forthcoming application period will last for just a few months, and there’s no timescale to when the opportunity will happen again. Once the window closes in mid-August, that’s it.
Naturally, for such a comprehensive digital asset and brand protection tool, there are some key criteria that need to be met, as well as a price tag that puts an application out of reach for any cybersquatter.
The key application requirement is a matching, registered trademark. That allows the entity to register the TLD as a DotBrand, and control the use of the digital asset. With active use, risks caused by brand impersonation, fraud and phishing decrease, whilst brand/IP awareness and value increases.
Turning Unavailability Into Opportunity
Preparation is key as the sands of time fall. The application process is naturally complex, as you’d expect for a return of owning a slice of internet infrastructure. Working with experts, such as Markmonitor, who have helped hundreds of organizations navigate the process, is key, ensuring that an application is in the best shape to meet the high bar of the application evaluators.
Whilst Stone’s mission was successful all those years ago, many other entities will have got the ‘Unavailable’ message when searching for their domain names. The opportunity to apply for the ultimate domain name asset is almost here. But entities need to leave La La Land and back The Favourite, in the new digital landscape.
