.aarp
| Status: | Delegated |
| Manager: | AARP |
| Registry Provider: | Verisign |
| Type: | Brand gTLD |
| Priority #: | 1438 - AARP |
.aarp is a delegated Brand gTLD in ICANN's New gTLD Program. American Association of Retired Persons, a non-profit, non-partisan membership organization dedicated to advocating for and helping Americans over the age of 50, manages the TLD. AARP's goal in applying for the delegation of the domain name string in the root zone in the internet's domain name system and to manage its registry operations is to protect its brand and to use it as a "trusted, hierarchical, and intuitive" domain name space for AARP, its affiliates, subsidiaries, members and internet users. If approved by ICANN, the organization plans to implement a four-stage roll-out to ensure the success of its transition from delegation to operation. Verisign will serve as its back-end registry service provider.[1]
The extension successfully passed all application requirements and was delegated to the Root Zone 03 November 2015. [2]
Application Details
The following is excerpted from the applicant's response to question #18:
"AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people age 50 and over improve their lives and have independence, choice, and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. Since 1958, AARP has been a leading membership organization that has worked to change how society views older Americans. AARP advocates on behalf of all people 50+ and ensures that valuable information, products and services are available. AARP is deeply involved with its members and provides resources and engagement opportunities in the local communities through support from staffed offices in all 50 U.S. states, Washington, DC, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. AARP content is accessible in multiple TLDs, including the .COM, .ORG, .NET, and .MOBI, gTLDs, and the .US, and .TV ccTLDs.
AARP believes that a comprehensive digital strategy will allow it to more effectively serve its members in the digital age. AARP was recently named one of the nation’s top public groups for social media by George Washington University and L2, and has built a number of mobile apps that put AARP content at the fingertips of its members. The centerpiece of AARP’s digital strategy – a redesigned website – was debuted in May 2010. Reflecting its membersʹ vitality and wide-ranging interests, the website includes a greater array of information and enhanced search capabilities, among other new features. A comparable Spanish-language website has been developed as well.
AARP’s digital strategy focuses on making valuable information and resources available to its members, as well as nonmembers, in an intuitive and convenient manner. The .AARP gTLD has the potential to be a key part of AARP’s online growth as the Internet continues to expand across all corners of the globe. AARP will be analyzing and evaluating other applicantsʹ .BRAND gTLD applications once they are made public, as well as general market adoption, to determine the short- and long-term potential best-in-class use case options that will most effectively serve and enhance AARPʹs online strategy.
The intended future mission and purpose of the .AARP gTLD is to serve as a trusted, hierarchical, and intuitive namespace provided by AARP and its qualified subsidiaries and affiliates for members and Internet users. AARP will be the entity to bring the .AARP gTLD to market.
Although ICANN has not specifically recognized a .BRAND gTLD specification in the current version of the Applicant Guidebook, it is widely anticipated within the brand owner community that this will become a specialty subset of new gTLDs. The .AARP gTLD was planned as a .BRAND gTLD, with the goal of expanding AARPʹs marketing and promotional efforts, providing a secure channel for online content and information, offering a platform through which to consolidate many of the intellectual property activities of AARP, and protecting AARPʹs online presence and identity. The intent of .AARP is to provide greater ease of use and to enhance AARPʹs relevance through broader brand awareness of many of its key initiatives, programs, and services offered.
AARP intends to initially limit registration and use of domain names within the .AARP gTLD to AARP and its qualified subsidiaries and affiliates. This initial use will allow AARP to establish its operations and achieve full sustainability. This limited distribution, coupled with the other requirements set forth in Specification 9 of the template Registry Agreement, is intended to exempt AARP from its annual Code of Conduct Compliance requirements."[3]