Markmonitor
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Software |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Headquarters | Boise, Idaho , United States |
| Products | Brand protection software, domain management, antifraud technology, brand security, antipiracy services |
| Parent | Newfold Digital |
Markmonitor Inc. is a United States-based software company established in 1999, dedicated to safeguarding corporate brands against online counterfeiting, fraud, piracy, and cybersquatting. The firm also produces analytical reports addressing brand misuse on the Internet.
In November 2022, Markmonitor became part of Newfold Digital, a provider of web and commerce technology solutions, supported by investment groups Clearlake and Siris.
History
Markmonitor was founded in 1999 in Boise, Idaho with an initial focus on protecting corporate trademarks in the digital realm. The company obtained ICANN accreditation for domain registration in 2000 and expanded its operations by acquiring AllDomains’ domain management business in 2001.
The firm strengthened its anti-piracy portfolio through the acquisition of DtecNet in October 2010. In July 2012, Markmonitor was acquired by the Intellectual Property & Science division of Thomson Reuters. Subsequently, in 2016, this division was sold to venture capital investors and rebranded as Clarivate Analytics. Clarivate later sold Markmonitor to Newfold Digital in 2022.
Over time, Markmonitor’s strategic approach has emphasized global expansion of its domain management and brand protection offerings, utilizing acquisitions to enhance market position and competitiveness.
Research
Since 2007, Markmonitor has issued the annual Brandjacking Index to assess how online threats affect brand integrity. Their studies reported notable surges in cybersquatting (18% growth in 2008) and phishing incidents (36% increase in early 2009). In 2010, the company estimated that worldwide online counterfeiting and piracy result in $200 billion of annual revenue losses.
The 2011 analysis revealed approximately 23,000 listings for counterfeit or gray market tablet devices from around 8,000 vendors, highlighting the extensive infringement challenges facing technology brands. While influential within the sector, some experts have questioned the research methodologies employed.
This body of research underpins Markmonitor’s business model by delivering critical market insights on brand security and cyberthreats, thereby reinforcing its leadership in protecting corporate reputations and financial interests.
Products and services
MarkMonitor offers a suite of software solutions and services targeting brand protection issues such as counterfeiting, piracy, cybersquatting, and fraudulent paid search activities. Its core competencies span four main domains: domain management, antifraud technology, brand security, and antipiracy efforts. The company provides protection for over half of the Fortune 100 corporations.
It manages domain registrations and offers Whois along with Registration Data Access Protocol (RDAP) lookup services for numerous prominent global enterprises including:
- Akamai
- Alibaba
- Amazon
- AVG
- Baidu
- Carrd
- Coca-Cola
- CloudFront
- eBay
- Intuit
- Mattel
- Meta Platforms
- Microsoft
- Nintendo
- Salesforce
- Square Enix
- Take-Two Interactive
- Tencent
- Tesco
- Verizon
- Wikimedia Foundation
- YouTube
- Zenly
- Zoom Communications