What is the marque?

The United Nations’ support for the International Year of Co-operatives in 2012 galvanized the global movement across every region and every sector uniting co-operatives behind a single logo and tagline. 

Building on this success the International Co-operative Alliance has developed a global co-operative identity brand suite that ALL co-operatives can align with and which differentiates us from other forms of business. Its core elements are the Co-­operative Marque and the .coop domain name. 

A co-operative identity toolkit is available too, containing downloadable elements to encourage more organisations to complete their co-operative Identity. This includes poster, video tutorials, editorial, buttons for websites and newsletters and a multi-lingual banner - all designed for use in co-operatives' own communications.

Use the Marque and .coop domain and join thousands of organisations around the world giving greater visibility to your co­-operative and strengthening our distinct model of enterprise. For questions, please contact the Alliance’s Marketing Lead, Mrs Nicola Huckerby at [email protected] 

The benefits of a .coop domain

1. Stand out as a co-operative

Why pay for expensive advertising to tell people who you are and what you do, when simply adding .coop to your web and email address instantly tells your customers, members and the millions of people online that you are a different type of business. Don't you think your customers would like to know you are an ethical business with strong values and principles?

2. Choose from a wide range of domain names

You want it? We've (probably) got it. Because only co-operatives can register a .coop domain, there is still a wide selection of names available. Choosing the right domain name is essential to your online marketing and brand development, so you should not have to compromise on your preferred name. Put it to the test on ouravailability page and you'll see the possibilities you have with .coop.

3. Connect with other cooperatives

Want to show the world that you are part of the global co-operative movement? The directory.coop site links all active .coop websites, to encourage co-operation and trade between cooperatives around the world. When you start using your .coop domain name your organisation will automatically be added to the worldwide .coop directory, for free!

4. Receive personal service

Because of the smaller, exclusive community served by the .coop domain, we are able to provide a higher level of service than other internet domains. If technical or functional questions arise you will receive personal attention and you will be able to speak to someone directly.