Changes

In 1991 .co was recognized as Colombia's [[ccTLD]] by [[IANA]]. Around a decade later the Universidad de los Andes, the official registrar of .co, began to research the benefits of broadening the availability of .co for commercial purposes. This began a long back-and-forth between the University, the Colombian Ministry of Telecommunication, and [[ICANN]]. Finally, in August of 2009, the Ministry announced that it had been awarded oversight of .co as an expanded [[gTLD]].<ref>[http://www.iana.org/reports/2009/co-report-24nov2009.html IANA]</ref>

In 1991 .co was recognized as Colombia's [[ccTLD]] by [[IANA]]. Around a decade later the Universidad de los Andes, the official registrar of .co, began to research the benefits of broadening the availability of .co for commercial purposes. This began a long back-and-forth between the University, the Colombian Ministry of Telecommunication, and [[ICANN]]. Finally, in August of 2009, the Ministry announced that it had been awarded oversight of .co as an expanded [[gTLD]].<ref>[http://www.iana.org/reports/2009/co-report-24nov2009.html IANA]</ref>

==Hype==

==Hype==

The excitement surrounding the general availability of .co has been demonstrated in a number of ways. [[GoDaddy]] has been reported to be preparing to specifically push its .co domains through its advertisements, with particular hype surrounding its role in [[GoDaddy]]'s notorious Super Bowl ads.<ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2011-01-16-godaddy-domain_N.htm]</ref>

The excitement surrounding the general availability of .co has been demonstrated in a number of ways. [[GoDaddy]] was reported to be preparing to specifically push its .co domains through its advertisements, with particular hype surrounding its role in [[GoDaddy]]'s notorious Super Bowl ads.<ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2011-01-16-godaddy-domain_N.htm]</ref> Indeed, GoDaddy's 2011 Super Bowl ad was billed to be the unvieling of the new ".co girl"; the ad later surprised audiences by featuring the not-so-girly, Joan Rivers, as the .co spokeswoman.<ref>[http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/02/06/sportsline/main7324624.shtml CBS News]</ref>

.co is expected by many to be one of the most successful new [[gTLD]]s. Its similarity to .com is referenced as one reason, while its association with the words "company", "corporation", and "commerce" in many languages is another.

.co is expected by many to be one of the most successful new [[gTLD]]s. Its similarity to .com is referenced as one reason, while its association with the words "company", "corporation", and "commerce" in many languages is another.