It wasn’t all that long ago a single domain name never made it into any advertisement, no matter the size of the company or brand.
Today, it’s rare to see an ad on TV or Print without a domain name included. Why? Domain Names / websites have allowed advertiser’s to "Continue Their Message" to a place that leaves you endless choices on what to offer, 24×7 and 365 days a year with really nobody needed to manage the system put in place.
One problem I have been noticing that hasn’t changed all that much and that is Logo’s. Logo’s are used all over the place by companies and I do not think "All" should include their domain name into the logo, but I think most should.
An example of a company that I think should include their domain name in their logo is a company like NAPA® Auto Parts.
They have brick and mortar’s all over the place BUT they are not open 24/7. Their website allows people to do easy searching and shopping for auto parts, 24/7~365 and more.
I think almost anybody can see the logo and know it’s for NAPA Auto Parts, but how many of those know their domain name? or think of their website when seeing the logo?
NAPA sponsors a crap load of race cars, has it’s logo on it’s products, hats, T-shirts and I’m sure endless other things. The bottom line, a lot of people see the logo but not including the domain name does not allow these potential customers to DO anything when seeing it.
To me, without including their domain name into the logo, doesn’t even give them a chance at having people Think or Visit it’s Open All The Time Store! Their website! Missed business? I think so….
Simple text added to the logo like on left, I think can be very effective, without taking away from it’s logo and looking cheesy or pushy.
I think any company, brand or service that offers something on it’s site that is not available 24/7 or is not easy to get a hold of needs to include it’s domain name into it’s logo.
Companies that offer downloads and like products or it’s service is only available Online would be crazy not to include it’s domain name IMO.
Now companies that I do not think they need to include their domain name into their logo would be products that you can go to your local gas station or local store and get the product nearly any day or time since most of these stores are open 24/7.
These would include products like Soda (Pepsi®, Coke® etc), snack makers like Kit-Kat®, Snickers® and similar products. The point of advertising these products are to get people to see, think of and potentially go and buy them now or the next time they see it in the store.
Now there is really no reason these companies "could not" include their domain names into it’s logo, but I don’t see it needed as much. No matter what, a domain name should be include on packaging of the product IMO!
It sure does help if the company owns the exact match .com domain name to it’s brand or company name but that does not happen 100% of the time…. but really, why leave the chance for the customer to "Assume" or "Guess" their domain is an exact match. That’s what your doing if you do not include your domain.
If your logo is out and about (on stuff), you may want to consider for the next time putting a domain name on it, so when somebody see’s the logo, they can DO something after seeing it other then just looking at some pretty colors.
theoretical
For the cost of rebranding, they could probably just buy napa.com. That’s the real trick. Many companies don’t understand the value of having a great domain name yet. It’s like having a random 1-800 number versus 1-800-FLOWERS. Which one will the customer remember when he’s on his way home from his girlfriend’s apartment and he needs to buy his wife some flowers? In the rare case where that’s not possible or cost efficient, then yes, including the domain in the brand image is something that companies should definitely consider.
In some ways, that’s why I like .tel. If they pull it off, it’ll be a great way to have your brand lead to not only a website but also be the number you dial in your phone (dial napa.tel) and the way to get directions to the store nearest you just by typing in the url. If it doesn’t happen with .tel, then we need something similar to “just work” for .com’s.
“Oh, honey, the faucet’s broken. Call theplumbers.tel”
hugh
How did .tel manage to get plugged here wow. Great post Jamie 100 % right.
theoretical
So much hate!? I specifically said if it’s not pulled off by .tel then something similar needs to be built into .com’s. Why did I bring up .tel? The logic/decision making process of putting your domain name in your logo is similar (if not the same) as whether to include your phone number. You may laugh, because there are hundreds if not thousands of store locations so which number do you use? Do you have some generic 800 number? Do you get a fancy “vanity” number? But we should be able to solve that problem. It’s what .tel is at least trying to do. Sorry if the leap in logic was too much.
If you can manage to get technology to replace your customer’s need of knowing your phone number (some archaic system of random numbers) and you own the exact match domain name so they can find you, then there wouldn’t be a need to change your brand’s nice clean logo to include the url OR the phone number(s).
If .tel falls off the face of the planet, I don’t care, but I want to be able to call the local napa auto parts store from my phone without having to call 411 or browse to their non-mobile aware site. It should be the same experience as typing in napa.com in my browser and getting their website. It should just work.