A New Domain for Advertising: A Content Analysis of Website Names

Abstract

Although a popular and efficient communication medium, the Internet is no longer a novel concept to advertisers or consumers. This research uses a content analysis to confirm that the use of domain names is widespread and to establish that some companies are investing time and creativity in naming domains. This research employed a content analysis of 1,023 print ads in 15 different magazines. A grounded theory approach was used iteratively to identify 10 underlying themes for website naming. The research uncovered themes that offered functional value to consumers by including information that points them to more specific material along with categories that use a more novel approach to naming websites utilizing current campaigns, promotions, or making clever links to the brand. The themes are discussed in detail along with overall implications for marketing creativity.

Keywords: Internet, Branding, Creativity, Advertising, Websites, Novelty, Content Analysis, Domain Name

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