A category-defining domain name increases the stature of your brand, increases your traffic, and excludes competitors.  When you do brand advertising to consumers, you want to associate those generic words in their minds with your brand.  A high percentage of internet surfers type in a URL, which is called ‘direct navigation’; this should not be ignored in your internet marketing plan.  And some marketing studies show that advertising using a generic term results in higher recall, by consumers, than advertising a brand name!

So if a domain name is unforgettable, then that is the domain name you should go after.  Here is a partial list of major brands and the category-defining domain name they purchased.  Please note that many companies purchase more than one URL; they know the important for branding, especially in the younger demographics:

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)
Book.com (Barnes & Noble)
Books.com (Barnes & Noble)
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, formerly Disney)
Movies.com (Fandango, Formerly Disney)
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)

If you know of more examples, please write to us.