Cybersquatters stake claims on Pasta Hut

by Staff, Marketing 08-Oct-08, 15:20

LONDON - The rebrand of Pizza Hut to Pasta Hut has fallen victim to opportunistic cybersquatters, according to domain name specialist NetNames, which manages the domain-name portfolios for a third of the FTSE 100 companies.

Related web addresses including www.pastahut.net, www.pastahut.info and www.pastahut.org have been registered and the sites filled with profitable Google-style pay-per-click links, according to the domain registration and management company. It noted that the domain www.pastahut.com has been registered by someone who appears to be trying to sell the domain to the highest bidder.

NetNames chief operating officer Jonathan Robinson said: ‘It never fails to surprise us how quick off the mark cybersquatters are to register the domains of major brands where given the opportunity. The UK subsidiary of Pizza Hut will have spent much time and money planning for this rebrand. However it has failed to register some of the key domain names relating to its online brand.'