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Epic Brand and Domain Name Fails: What Went Wrong?
By Monica Stankova access_time 6 min read

Naming and branding aren’t always easy, even for big companies. Sometimes, brands make epic mistakes that lead to confusion and backlash. Let’s explore some brand and domain name fails to see what went wrong.

Mattel’s Wicked Dolls Redirect to Porn Site Due to URL Error

Mattel faced backlash after accidentally printing the URL of a porn site on the packaging of its Wicked doll line. These dolls were released in anticipation of the upcoming “Wicked” movie starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. Parents were shocked to find that instead of leading to the movie’s website, the printed web address Wicked.com directed users to explicit content. The correct website for the film is WickedMovie.com. The toy giant swiftly apologised, initiated a recall, and promised an internal investigation to prevent future mishaps. This incident shows why securing an Exact Brand Match (EBM) domain and a strong domain strategy is important. But seriously, how do you miss something like that?

Samsung Internet Chrome Extension Stops Working Due to Domain Issue

Ouch! Samsung Internet’s Chrome extension suddenly stopped working, leaving users frustrated. The reason? When users try to log in, they’re redirected to samsunginternet.com—a domain that Samsung no longer owns. Instead, the domain is now up for sale on Sedo with a $16 million price tag. So, all this chaos because someone forgot to renew a domain? Yep, that’s a pretty expensive slip-up.

What Happens When You Overlook a Domain? Ask Automattic

Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com, has been locked in a public dispute with WP Engine after CEO Matt Mullenweg labelled the hosting service a “cancer” within the WordPress community and blocked its access to WordPress.org. Automattic launched WordPressEngineTracker.com to monitor sites that have left WP Engine. However, they did not secure the more intuitive domain, WPEngineTracker.com. This oversight allowed an unknown party to register WPEngineTracker.com to display a protest message against Automattic’s CEO, Matt Mullenweg. 

Just a reminder to always think about securing all variations of your domain!

Wait, You’re a Tech Company? The Rebrand from daPulse to monday.com

Imagine naming your brand, but instead of it evoking tech and productivity, people joke that it sounds like a hip-hop artist. That’s exactly what happened with daPulse. It was just a quirky name picked because the domain was available. But when customers couldn’t take it seriously, the founders realised it was time for a change. 


I knew it was really bad when I went to TV for the first time in my life and all the anchor could focus on was how bad the name Dapulse was.

Joel Goldstein, monday.com

Enter monday.com – a name that’s simple, memorable, and instantly tied to the idea of a fresh, productive start. And boy, did it work. Customers jumped from 18,000 to 80,000 in just two years. Now, that’s what you call a rebranding win. 

Think domain isn’t that important? See what happened to Stoggles

Picture this: you build a brand, but customers end up on a fake site because your domain doesn’t match your brand name exactly. That’s what happened to Stoggles. Originally using wearestoggles.com, they didn’t own stoggles.com. The owner of that domain copied Stoggles’ photos and text, leading customers to an Amazon store selling knock-off products. This caused confusion and risked damaging customer trust. After ongoing disputes, Stoggles finally secured stoggles.com, protecting their brand and making sure customers landed on the real site. So, can you afford to overlook securing your exact brand match domain?

Source: FAKE SITE STOGGLES / Archive.org 2021

Belgian Chocolatier ISIS Rebrands to Libeert After Name Confusion

After learning the art of chocolate-making in Italy and Switzerland, Joseph Dequeker founded Italo Suisse in Belgium back in 1923. In 2013, the company decided to rebrand as ISIS, combining elements of its old name and inspired by the Egyptian goddess. The name quickly became an issue when customers started associating it with the Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS), leading to a drop in sales. To regain trust, the company chose to rebrand as Libeert, using the owners’ family name. They secured the EBM domain name Libeert.com.

Source: https://liquidcreativity.com.au/to-rebrand-or-not/

When Dunkin’ Dropped the ‘Donuts’ But Couldn’t Secure Dunkin.com

William Rosenberg, the American entrepreneur behind Dunkin’ Donuts, originally named his restaurant Open Kettle. The story goes that an architect working with him suggested the name change, inspired by the idea of dunking doughnuts into coffee. By 1950, the restaurant officially became Dunkin’ Donuts. Fast forward to September 25, 2018, the company announced it was dropping the “Donuts” and rebranding as simply Dunkin’. Despite the change, the brand couldn’t secure the domain Dunkin.com, which belongs to Tim Dunkin and Wandzia Rose of DunkinWorks.com, a training and coaching firm. Anyone typing Dunkin.com is redirected to their site, where a message reads: “This is NOT the path to the company Dunkin Donuts. To contact them, you will need to find their site.” Quite the branding headache, wouldn’t you say?

Kim Kardashian’s Shapewear Line Gets a New Name After Public Outcry

Kim Kardashian thought she had a clever idea when she named her new shapewear line Kimono. The name was supposed to be a fun nod to her own name, but instead, it sparked a backlash. People accused her of cultural appropriation, arguing that using the name of traditional Japanese clothing to sell underwear was disrespectful. This led to the brand being rebranded as SKIMS.

If you’re wondering whether it’s time for a rebrand, there are clear indicators to help you decide.


The right domain names are a valuable investment for any brand. If you’re ready to secure the perfect domain name for your business, reach out to us for assistance. We’re here to help you find and acquire the ideal domain for your brand.


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