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Is this the worst new gTLD video yet?

Kevin Murphy, November 26, 2013, 09:39:04 (UTC), Domain Registries

If you’re trying to market a new gTLD aimed solely at CEOs, and your messaging is security, credibility and authority, what’s the best medium to get that message across?
Why, it’s white rap of course! In Donald Trump masks!
That’s apparently the thought process of PeopleBrowsr, the applicant for .ceo, anyway.
The video below got its first airing during a joint PeopleBrowsr/TLDH party at ICANN 48 in Buenos Aires last week.
I was on a bio break at the time and missed the premiere, but I was assured by other party-goers that it was the most painfully awkward video ever screened at an ICANN meeting.
After PeopleBrowsr published it on YouTube today, I was not disappointed. Enjoy a true classic:


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Comments (44)

  1. Wow!
    I think they may have just destroyed their own extension. The message I get comes down to one word.
    “Wannabee” or “Faker”
    And this is what I mean by one extension hurting other extensions. They may make more than themselves look silly and unprofessional.

  2. Robin says:

    This video makes me ask on simple question.
    I wonder where in the class these marketing executives that approved this ad graduated?
    If they were in the top 10 % then the comedy channel has some competition they weren’t counting on.

  3. Using celebrity likenesses to promote a commercial product might expose them to legal liability. Although, those celebrities probably have better things to do than sue what looks like a middle-school effort….
    Another example of the “innovation” that new gTLDs are bringing to the marketplace…..probably not what ICANN promised, but what they should have expected.

  4. fred krueger says:

    I actually found this video amusing and well done. New TLD registries are going to have the last laugh as all these new TLDs crush (and I mean crush) dot com domainers. Good luck standing up to this tsunami of alternatives to your bad and overpriced domain name portfolios gentlemen…

  5. Andrew says:

    Video aside, I’m having trouble understanding the use case for registering a .ceo domain name. I can see some defensive registrations by large companies. But why would an individual register one?
    It appears there might be a social networking aspect tied into the domains. But why is the domain name itself useful? Why not just a social network for CEO’s?

    • Kevin Murphy says:

      As far as I understand it, .ceo wants to operate a social network — maybe a bit like LinkedIn — for CEOs.
      I really don’t think it’s a defensive play, but I’ve yet to be convinced on the CEO-registrant play.
      As you say, why not just a social network for CEOs run at the second level? I don’t get it.

      • Rubens Kuhl says:

        .ceo explained their positioning during the event to be not only for CEOs, but future CEOs, CEOs in the making, yet-to-be-promoted CEOs etc.

        • Kevin Murphy says:

          That seems like fair-enough pitch to me.

        • JJ says:

          who, of that group of people they are positioning for, has time or need for a vanity domain??? No one who is important to the group of people they are positioning this .ceo for would view such a vanity site as anything but a douche idea.

  6. Jason says:

    This cringeworthy. Reminds me of: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8T095mFdW8

  7. Adrian Kinderis says:

    Worst. Video. Ever. I agree that they just blew any credibility with this video. Stop and rethink guys….

  8. Cameron B says:

    I think it’s a fresh innovative approach

  9. Jana says:

    Can’t wait to see next video

  10. Marc says:

    I think it’s one of the freshest approaches I’ve seen

  11. vinny j says:

    The rap music really get u hooked into the intro

  12. Manuel says:

    Not all CEOs take themselves so seriously these days. I think they’ll get it’s firmly tongue in cheek

  13. Kevin Murphy says:

    Really? Please. Knock it off.

  14. Dyza says:

    I think it’s really fun!

  15. Acro says:

    Better than the .TEL video!

  16. Drewbert says:

    Holy crap. Someone give these guys a free domain at .lame
    Hang on, the concept of a .ceo TLD was lame even before this video came out.
    We need to update IDNA2008 to allow ² so we can give these guys a free domain at .lame²
    .losers would be a good alternative.

  17. Drewbert says:

    Let me guess.
    “Cameron B”, “Jana” and “Marc” share the same IP address, and they all lead back to .ceo’s marketing office?

  18. Ollee says:

    It’s silly, but it made me laugh and I remember the name. So it’s effective in that regard, and different to other stuff I’ve seen tried.

  19. blehblehbleh says:

    Watching this AMAZING video got my teeth their whitest white! Thank you .CEO!!!

  20. NINJAMO says:

    “VERY RAW & REAL” I think it’s really fun!”

  21. Joe Davison says:

    That’s an abomination.

  22. Jean Guillon says:

    With the volume of videos coming about new gTLDs, people will stop on something “different”. This one is different.

    • Samit says:

      Yeah, some people think any publicity is good publicity, got Kevin to blog about it didn’t they?
      Only this generation thinks that’s true, you don’t see luxury brands advertising on coupon sites and there’s a reason for that.
      A proper marketing campaign might have added some gravitas to the extension, but for wannabe CEOs it’s perfect.

  23. BillW says:

    Well, if their goal was to get people talking about .ceo they certainly achieved that, but what an awful video for anyone over age 14. IMO a loser gTLD to start with, gonna appeal to a bunch of wannabe low esteem morons who hope their email address will be cool to their friends.
    Reminds me of all the spammy letters and marketing pitches we get offering to publish our Execs names in their “Whos-Who” book for $25 bucks.

  24. JJ says:

    This is ridiculous. Did the folks who wasted their money on this actually consider why anyone who is a CEO or is on the road to becoming a CEO would have time to waste on a vanity domain?? … that no one who is meaningful to a CEO or potential CEO would care that someone has a .ceo vanity domain? In fact, if you have a .ceo domain I would think the opposite of you, that you are a douche wannabe and don’t have a clue as to what being a CEO is about. This is one of the worst ideas I have ever heard. And the video does a great job of dramatizing the stupidity.

  25. Dante says:

    .CEO = .POSER
    Maybe next they should make a Miley Cyrus twerking video – just to give their credibility a bump.

  26. A bad ad doesn’t mean that a product is bad. But in this case, the product also is bad !
    I really dont understand how people can invest so much money in a ridiculous project…

  27. Sean says:

    I’m pretty sure they hired someone from fiverr.com. The volume of comments here made it worth it.
    .buzz should take a cue.

  28. Jon Stribling says:

    “My address is top level and you’re just part of the herd”. Hysterical.
    Seriously though, new TLDs will need to be promoted differently to stand out from the crowd. This is a pretty good attempt at standing out.

  29. Adam says:

    I actually think .ceo is a cool idea. Its a vanity url but also shows u mean business.
    Im just not sure how email addresses are supposed to work though? Eg mine wud be adam@adam.ceo
    Doesnt really make any sense and is rather confusing!

  30. Jodee Rich says:

    Big Thank you, TLD Influencers for the all the heart felt (and visceral) responses.
    I am the one who approved the video for release at our BA party (and email list) 🙂
    My two favorite comments were:
    “LOVE it you psycho bastards (in a private email)”
    “Worst. Video. Ever” (Adrian)
    We think humor cuts through.
    We think this industry is going to be turned upside down by new marketers and fresh approaches.
    Domain names are about to become domain identities and domain networks.
    In the next 10 years we believe every person will have a domain identity, and many their own social networks.
    I personally like what Minds and Machines, dotKiwi, dotUno and dotNYC are doing.
    I am inspired by Frank Shilling’s end to end solution
    I love Amazon’s custom TLD vision
    Ray’s dotWiki will be huge in the wiki community
    dotCEO will be marketed to multiple channels.
    It will be bundled with access to various types of CEO Networks from high profile CEOs to aspirational CEOs .
    Our core business at PeopleBrowsr is the technology that powers these large networks
    Plse send in your pics to JodeeRich@PeopleBrowsr.com and we will organize cameo appearances in the next version (Kevin said he was up for it – with a mask on).
    In the works is a Super bowl edit.
    Happy Thanksgiving
    JodeeRich.CEO

  31. Ed says:

    There’s no need for the dot commers to be arguing, hoopin,’ or a hollerin’ about steering all these new names out of the barn anymore. This here video proves it.
    Obviously, if you naysayers never lived rural out in podunk yourself, you’ll never appreciate the celebrities, opportunity, and entertainment that more dodunks will bring to life.

  32. Ed Brophy says:

    There’s no need for the dot commers to be arguing, hoopin,’ or a hollerin’ about steering all these new names out of the barn anymore. This here video proves it.
    Obviously, if you naysayers never lived rural out in podunk yourself, you’ll never appreciate the celebrities, opportunity, and entertainment that more dodunks will bring to life.

  33. Tim says:

    They might as well have loaded a gun and put it to their head and pulled the trigger until it went ‘click’.
    I love it. It just brings more people into the domain field which will make .com grow more as everyone ends up seeing these new TLDs as a farce.

  34. Konstantin says:

    A .CEO domain? Who could use this? I just don’t get why people need an exotic domain name. Simple ones like .com are still easier to remember and score better at SEO.

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