Premium Domains are Owned by Major Brands

Owning the best brand in your market has many advantages: helps make a company stand out, gives you the natural type-in traffic of that domain, has much stronger user recall, easier to spread on social media (and word-of-mouth), and more.  In contrast, companies that do not own the premium domains for their markets are at a disadvantage - and that continues forever.   That is why many companies buy the best domains just for defensive reasons.
 
​The best brands buy premium domain names that define their market. ​It makes sense; they enjoy the benefits such as natural type-in traffic for that domain, ease of recall, strong word-of-mouth, and are so good for social media. Benefits that last!  
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​Here are some major brands that own truly premium domains:
  • Kraft - CreamCheese.com
  • Citibank - StudentLoan.com
  • Bank Of America - Loans.com
  • Barnes and Noble - Books.com
  • Bayer - Aspirin.com
  • CNET - News.com, Search.com,  TV.com
  • CNN - Money.com
  • Country Buffet - Buffet.com
  • Diago - Rum.com, Malts.com,  Scotch.com
  • Fixodent - Dentures.com
  • Honda - MotorCycles.com
  • JC Penny - Gift.com
  • Johnson and Johnson - Baby.com
  • MasterCard - Priceless.com
  • Merriam Webster - Word.com
  • Monster - Jobs.com
  • National Pen Company - Pens.com
  • Nestle - Meals.com
  • PetSmart - Pets.com
  • Procter and Gamble - Toothpaste.com, Towels.com, many mor3e
  • Ragu - Sauce.com
  • Rocky Mountain Bicycles - Bikes.com
  • Sylvan Learning - Educate.com
  • The History Channel - History.com
  • The Weather Channel - Weather.com
  • The Wedding Channel - Weddings.com
  • Travelocity - Vacations.com
  • The Map and Globe Store - Worldmaps.com
  • Office Depot - OfficeSupplies.com

Here is a list of some of the top prices ever paid for domains!

  • VacationRentals.com – $35 million, by HomeAway, in a defensive move against Expedia)
  • PrivateJet.com – $30.18 million.
  • Insure.com – $16 million.
  • Hotels.com – $Price not disclosed, believe in the neighborhood of $11 million.
  • Fund.com – $9.9 million
  • FB.com – $8.5 million, bought by Facebook, from American Farm Bureau Federation
  • Business.com – $7.5 million, in December 1999, one of the first high-priced sales.
  • Diamond.com – $7.5 million
  • Beer.com – $ 7 million
  • Israel.com – $5.88 million
  • Casino.com – $5.5 million, and has given a considerable return to its owner.
  • Slots.com – $5.5 million, to a gambling company.
  • AsSeenOnTV.com – $5.1 million, bought in a defensive move to protect their TV brand.
  • Toys.com – Earned $5.1 million in 2009 for the previous owner, then was sold to Toys R Us.
  • Korea.com – $5 million
  • SEO.com – $5 million
  • Clothes.com – $4.9
  • iCloud.com – $4.5 million in 2011, by Apple.  No surprise there.

Here are even more premium domains owned by major brands:
​
  • Contacts.com (1800 Contacts)
  • ContactLenses.com (1 800 Contacts)
  • Glasses.com (1800 Contacts)
  • Flowers.com (1800 Flowers)
  • Gout.com (Abbott Labs)
  • InfantFormula.com (Abbott Labs)
  • RA.com (Abbott Labs)
  • Director.com (Adobe)
  • Flash.com (Adobe)
  • Aluminum.com (Alcoa)
  • Checking.com (Amtrust)
  • HomeEquity.com (Amtrust)
  • Games.com (AOL)
  • AcidRefulx.com (AstraZeneca)
  • GERD.com (AstraZeneca)
  • Mobile.com (AT&T)
  • AutoRental.com (Avis Budget)
  • RentaCar.com (Avis Budget)
  • Loans.com (Bank of America)
  • Hunting.com (Bass Pro Shops)
  • Aspirin.com (Bayer)
  • Impotence.com (Bayer)
  • MultipleSclerosis.com (Bayer)
  • Incontinence.com (BMS)
  • Platinum.com (CA)
  • Security.com (CA)
  • Auto.com (Cars.com)
  • Car.com (Cars.com)
  • Warehouse.com (CDW)
  • Finance.com (Citigroup)
  • Mortgage.com (Citigroup)
  • StudentLoan.com (Citigroup)
  • Burgers.com (CKE Restaurants)
  • Bleach.com (Clorox)
  • Grease.com (Clorox)
  • Salad.com (Clorox)
  • Computers.com (CNET)
  • Download.com (CNET)
  • Downloads.com (CNET)
  • Gaming.com (CNET)
  • Help.com (CNET)
  • Labs.com (CNET)
  • MP3.com (CNET)
  • News.com (CNET)
  • Radio.com (CNET)
  • Search.com (CNET)
  • Store.com (CNET)
  • TV.com (CNET)
  • Malts.com (Diageo)
  • Rum.com (Diageo)
  • Scotch.com (Diageo)
  • Animal.com (Discovery Comm.)
  • Movie.com (Fandango)
  • Movies.com (Fandango)
  • Video.com (Disney)
  • Beauty.com (Drugstore.com)
  • IceCream.com (Dryer’s)
  • Pipeline.com (EarthLink)
  • ADHD.com (Eli Lilly)
  • BipolarDisorder.com (Eli Lilly)
  • Fleas.com (Eli Lilly)
  • RentalCar.com (Enterprise Rent-A-Car)
  • Birthdays.com (eToys.com)
  • Toys.com (eToys.com)
  • 401k.com (Fidelity)
  • Funds.com (Fidelity)
  • Retire.com (Fidelity)
  • YourRetirement.com (Fidelity)
  • Snacks.com (Frito-Lay)
  • VirusProtection.com (F-Secure)
  • Florist.com (FTD)
  • AutoLeasing.com (GE)
  • CarLeasing.com (GE)
  • ReInsurance.com (General Re)
  • Asthma.com (GSK)
  • Bipolar.com (GSK)
  • Depression.com (GSK)
  • Diabetes.com (GSK)
  • Heartburn.com (GSK)
  • HeartHealth.com (GSK)
  • Osteoporosis.com (GSK)
  • Reflux.com (GSK)
  • RestlessLegs.com (GSK)
  • SkinInfection.com (GSK)
  • ToothBrush.com (GSK)
  • Acne.com (Guthy-Renker)
  • Easter.com (Hallmark)
  • Greetings.com (Hallmark)
  • Stores.com (Hammacher Schlemmer)
  • Casinos.com (Harrah’s)
  • Game.com (Hasbro)
  • Motorcycles.com (Honda)
  • Scooters.com (Honda)
  • Chips.com (Intel)
  • PC.com (Intel)
  • Apps.com (Intuit)
  • Banking.com (Intuit)
  • Baby.com (J&J)
  • Cancer.com (J&J)
  • Cholesterol.com (J&J)
  • GetWell.com (J&J)
  • Hepatitis.com (J&J)
  • Obesity.com (J&J)
  • Pregnancy.com (J&J)
  • ThePill.com (J&J)
  • WomansHealth.com (J&J)
  • Gift.com (JCPenney)
  • SUVs.com (Kia Motors)
  • CreamCheese.com (Kraft)
  • Mayonnaise.com (Kraft)
  • TennisShoes.com (K-Swiss)
  • DryWall.com (Lafarge)
  • RealEstate.com (LendingTree.com)
  • Floors.com (Mannington Mills)
  • PetCare.com (Mars)
  • FirstAid.com (McAfee)
  • Construction.com (McGraw-Hill)
  • Sweets.com (McGraw-Hill)
  • Flu.com (MedImmune)
  • Back.com (Medtronic)
  • CervicalCancer.com (Merck)
  • Word.com (Merriam-Webster)
  • GPS.com (Microsoft)
  • Juice.com (Microsoft)
  • Economy.com (MIS Quality Management)
  • Navigation.com (Navteq)
  • Vitamins.com (NBTY)
  • Meals.com (Nestlé)
  • LifeInsurance.com (Northwestern Mutual)
  • AlzheimersDisease.com (Novartis)
  • GenitalHerpes.com (Novartis)
  • RespiratoryHealth.com (Novartis)
  • Shingles.com (Novartis)
  • Lettuce.com (Nunes Co.)
  • Salads.com (Nunes Co.)
  • Vegetables.com (Nunes Co.)
  • Winery.com (NY Times)
  • OfficeSupplies.com (Office Depot)
  • School.com (Office Depot)
  • Retail.com (Oracle)
  • Sales.com (Oracle)
  • Lodging.com (Orbitz)
  • Trip.com (Orbitz)
  • Cavities.com (P&G)
  • Clean.com (P&G)
  • Dandruff.com (P&G)
  • DentalCare.com (P&G)
  • Dentures.com (P&G)
  • Laundry.com (P&G)
  • Toothpaste.com (P&G)
  • Coffee.com (Peet’s Coffee)
  • DogFood.com (PetSmart)
  • Dogs.com (PetSmart)
  • Pet.com (PetSmart)
  • Pets.com (PetSmart)
  • Arthritis.com (Pfizer)
  • SemiConductors.com (Philips)
  • Speech.com (Philips)
  • Shirt.com (Phillips-Van Heusen)
  • Pharma.com (Purdue Pharma)
  • FundRaising.com (Reader’s Digest)
  • Film.com (Real Networks)
  • RheumatoidArthritis.com (Roche)
  • Weightloss.com (Roche)
  • Dictionary.com (RR Donnelley & Sons)
  • Reference.com (RR Donnelley & Sons)
  • Thesaurus.com (RR Donnelley & Sons)
  • Allergy.com (Sanofi-Aventis)
  • Hypertension.com (Sanofi-Aventis)
  • Parkinsons.com (Sanofi-Aventis)
  • Stroke.com (Sanofi-Aventis)
  • IcedCoffee.com (Sara Lee)
  • Ticks.com (SC Johnson)
  • AllergyRelief.com (Schering-Plough)
  • Food.com (Scripps Networks)
  • Beds.com (Select Comfort)
  • LNG.com (Sempra Energy)
  • Benzene.com (Shell)
  • Ultrasound.com (Siemens)
  • Gasoline.com (Speedway SuperAmerica)
  • Network.com (Sun Microsystems)
  • ServiceProvider.com (Sun Microsystems)
  • Shades.com (Sunglass Hut)
  • Educate.com (Sylvan Learning)
  • Van.com (Symantec)
  • Trademark.com (Thomson)
  • Lasik.com (TLC Vision)
  • Jobs.com (TMP Worldwide)
  • Vacations.com (Travelocity)
  • AntiVirus.com (Trend Micro)
  • Trailer.com (U-Haul)
  • BakingSoda.com (Unilever)
  • Eat.com (Unilever)
  • MouthWash.com (Unilever)
  • Sauce.com (Unilever)
  • Softener.com (Unilever)
  • Soup.com (Unilever)
  • Data.com (United Business Media)
  • Plaster.com (USG)
  • Bras.com (Warnaco)
  • Underwear.com (Warnaco)
  • Weather.com (Weather Channel)
  • Weddings.com (WeddingChannel.com)
  • ConsumerFinance.com (Whirlpool)
  • FoodProcessors.com (Whirlpool)
  • TrashCompactor.com (Whirlpool)
  • Ammunition.com (Winchester)
  • ColorPrinters.com (Xerox)
  • Documents.com (Xerox)
 
In fact there was a study once that showed, when people view advertising, that a generic, 'premium' URL, like CreamCheese.com (owned by Kraft; no surprise there!) had greater viewer recall than branded domains. 
​( See Study )