Bob,
It is really sad they cut the 2nd attempt... I personally thought it was the best ad I have seen in along time... nothing short of priceless. It should've past the censors - I suspect if it had - you would have been #1 ad hands down.. and someone up top could just not let that happen as you buck the system.
Classic!
D
It is really sad they cut the 2nd attempt... I personally thought it was the best ad I have seen in along time... nothing short of priceless. It should've past the censors - I suspect if it had - you would have been #1 ad hands down.. and someone up top could just not let that happen as you buck the system.
Classic!
D
Mr. Parsons,
I'm the father of 2 young boys. My wife and I make every effort to make sure the tv shows and movies our sons watch are appropriate for their age. I was absolutely disgusted with your Superbowl commercial. It's a shame that we've reached the point where a family can't watch a football game with their children without having sleaze thrown in their face.
I own a consulting business in the Chicago area. One of the services we provide is telecom consulting. Not only will we not consider your company for our business, but I will make sure to steer every one of our clients, and we have many, away from your service.
I'm the father of 2 young boys. My wife and I make every effort to make sure the tv shows and movies our sons watch are appropriate for their age. I was absolutely disgusted with your Superbowl commercial. It's a shame that we've reached the point where a family can't watch a football game with their children without having sleaze thrown in their face.
I own a consulting business in the Chicago area. One of the services we provide is telecom consulting. Not only will we not consider your company for our business, but I will make sure to steer every one of our clients, and we have many, away from your service.
Mr. Sheen -
I just have to interject here. Are you sure you watched the same GoDaddy SuperBowl commercial as the rest of the world? the one with 2 clean cut young men - professionally dressed (white collar shirt and tie) purchasing domain names when a pretty blond walks by and overhears the tail end of a conversation? How is that offensive and please tell me, why in the world can you not explain a simple conversation about domain names of puppies and such to a six year old?
My my, I do hope that you aired your fury to the SuperBowl commission when Janet Jackson had a pre-meditated wardrobe malfunction and popped open her top to purposely show her bosoms to your little ones and the rest of the world. Now THAT was offensive. How did you explain that one or are you still watching the reruns?
p.s. Are you by chance related to that womanizing, drug popping, high school drop out, deadbeat dad who can't keep his pencil in his pocket named Charlie and his White House wannabe father Marty? Perhaps you should send them a letter of your disgruntled opinions on their behavior and unsavory characters they portray to be role-models.
I just have to interject here. Are you sure you watched the same GoDaddy SuperBowl commercial as the rest of the world? the one with 2 clean cut young men - professionally dressed (white collar shirt and tie) purchasing domain names when a pretty blond walks by and overhears the tail end of a conversation? How is that offensive and please tell me, why in the world can you not explain a simple conversation about domain names of puppies and such to a six year old?
My my, I do hope that you aired your fury to the SuperBowl commission when Janet Jackson had a pre-meditated wardrobe malfunction and popped open her top to purposely show her bosoms to your little ones and the rest of the world. Now THAT was offensive. How did you explain that one or are you still watching the reruns?
p.s. Are you by chance related to that womanizing, drug popping, high school drop out, deadbeat dad who can't keep his pencil in his pocket named Charlie and his White House wannabe father Marty? Perhaps you should send them a letter of your disgruntled opinions on their behavior and unsavory characters they portray to be role-models.
Dear Tom,
You're exaggerating my friend.
What in my Super Bowl commercial is inappropriate or cannot be explained to your two young boys? Surely you were there with them. But even if you weren't there. There's not one thing in that commercial your boys shouldn't see.
Too bad — over something as trivial as a light hearted commercial — you are not going to be my customer now. But should you change your mind please know you'll always be welcome.
Appreciate your post,
Bob
You're exaggerating my friend.
What in my Super Bowl commercial is inappropriate or cannot be explained to your two young boys? Surely you were there with them. But even if you weren't there. There's not one thing in that commercial your boys shouldn't see.
Too bad — over something as trivial as a light hearted commercial — you are not going to be my customer now. But should you change your mind please know you'll always be welcome.
Appreciate your post,
Bob
Bob:
As a business owner, I'm looking at this situation from a business standpoint.
If CBS chooses not to run an ad you have submitted, they have the right to sell their product (ad space) to the customers they choose. Fortunately for CBS, there are numerous prospects willing to shell out large sums of cash to buy the space.
While it is bad for you that CBS rejected ads in which you invested money, I can't imagine they promised to run anything you gave them. Your company took a risk and made ads that won't be shown. (But you're still getting traction with the ads, as you've got, so far, four pages of comments on them here!)
I'm fascinated and disappointed by the responses the office worker ad has generated here. This ad does more than the one that was accepted. Specifically, it actually features your product and its capabilities. The workers are using one of the best features of Godaddy.com, the URL search. Unlike ads which featured people being hit with rocks (or meteors or faceslaps), people fighting in the woods (a dumb ad campaign), a gorilla planning to attack a beer delivery man or bank customers robbed at gunpoint, your ad used simple wordplay to make a point about your product without the threat of violence.
Does the ad make a sexual suggestion that is offensive to some? Sure. Is it any worse than the other commercials shown during the Super Bowl? Hardly. Are most people just blowhards who are too self-absorbed to regulate what their children see on television? Answer for yourself.
The sad fact is that most people in the US have a misguided view that television and other forms of entertainment aren't chosen by them. They seem to think that they are FORCED to watch television, and therefore should be able to directly influence what is show. They ask for morality and taste arbiters to decide for them when the truth is, the public makes "bad" television and "immoral" art available by actively buying it!
When I dislike a television program or am offended by an advertiser, I get upset. But I also realize that I "VOTE" with my dollar, so I stop watching the program or I stop shopping with the offending advertiser. Good example: Ford spends a lot of money on television advertising, but many people lost trust with Ford after the Explorer tire issue and the fire problems associated with the cruise control systems and Ford is now loosing BILLIONS.
But I understand the reactions that your commercials have generated, as I live in a country with strange attitudes about sex. I watched the Snickers ad in which two men endured strong pain simply because their lips accidentally touched! I live in a culture that tells men that if they unintentionally touch lips then they must prove their manhood through pain. If anything, THAT is not a family-friendly message to send!
I also measure business success through definable numbers. By those accounts, your marketing is working. Let the consumers vote with their own dollars!...
As a business owner, I'm looking at this situation from a business standpoint.
If CBS chooses not to run an ad you have submitted, they have the right to sell their product (ad space) to the customers they choose. Fortunately for CBS, there are numerous prospects willing to shell out large sums of cash to buy the space.
While it is bad for you that CBS rejected ads in which you invested money, I can't imagine they promised to run anything you gave them. Your company took a risk and made ads that won't be shown. (But you're still getting traction with the ads, as you've got, so far, four pages of comments on them here!)
I'm fascinated and disappointed by the responses the office worker ad has generated here. This ad does more than the one that was accepted. Specifically, it actually features your product and its capabilities. The workers are using one of the best features of Godaddy.com, the URL search. Unlike ads which featured people being hit with rocks (or meteors or faceslaps), people fighting in the woods (a dumb ad campaign), a gorilla planning to attack a beer delivery man or bank customers robbed at gunpoint, your ad used simple wordplay to make a point about your product without the threat of violence.
Does the ad make a sexual suggestion that is offensive to some? Sure. Is it any worse than the other commercials shown during the Super Bowl? Hardly. Are most people just blowhards who are too self-absorbed to regulate what their children see on television? Answer for yourself.
The sad fact is that most people in the US have a misguided view that television and other forms of entertainment aren't chosen by them. They seem to think that they are FORCED to watch television, and therefore should be able to directly influence what is show. They ask for morality and taste arbiters to decide for them when the truth is, the public makes "bad" television and "immoral" art available by actively buying it!
When I dislike a television program or am offended by an advertiser, I get upset. But I also realize that I "VOTE" with my dollar, so I stop watching the program or I stop shopping with the offending advertiser. Good example: Ford spends a lot of money on television advertising, but many people lost trust with Ford after the Explorer tire issue and the fire problems associated with the cruise control systems and Ford is now loosing BILLIONS.
But I understand the reactions that your commercials have generated, as I live in a country with strange attitudes about sex. I watched the Snickers ad in which two men endured strong pain simply because their lips accidentally touched! I live in a culture that tells men that if they unintentionally touch lips then they must prove their manhood through pain. If anything, THAT is not a family-friendly message to send!
I also measure business success through definable numbers. By those accounts, your marketing is working. Let the consumers vote with their own dollars!...
Bob,
That second rejected ad would have easily been the funniest one aired during the Super Bowl had they let it on. I would have hated to have to explain it to my kids, but I would have given it the ol' college try. The one you did air was a little lame compared to what it could have been. But I understand the constraints...
Keep up the great work!
That second rejected ad would have easily been the funniest one aired during the Super Bowl had they let it on. I would have hated to have to explain it to my kids, but I would have given it the ol' college try. The one you did air was a little lame compared to what it could have been. But I understand the constraints...
Keep up the great work!
they rejected the ad because they secretly wanted to prevent you from selling out. you're too good of a company to cater to the lowest common denominator i.e., an astronomically overpriced superbowl ad that will only be tivo'd over...and only mentioned in a blog.
the domain names in the ad were hilarious but the blonde girl was too stupid at the end of the ad. it would have been funnier with a stuffy old guy manager pissed at his slacker employees.
anyway, love your work and thanks for keeping jobs in the U.S., specifically AZ...gives me hopes of being able to move back for work someday.
the domain names in the ad were hilarious but the blonde girl was too stupid at the end of the ad. it would have been funnier with a stuffy old guy manager pissed at his slacker employees.
anyway, love your work and thanks for keeping jobs in the U.S., specifically AZ...gives me hopes of being able to move back for work someday.
I thought the rejected SB ad was fine. A little edgy, but nothing too provactive. Actors were good.
I needed to watch it a couple of times to really get it. The typing of the domain names happens pretty fast and it's hard to catch the first time you see it because you're paying attention to the dialogue and not really looking at what he's typing on the screen. But the more I watched, the funnier it became.
It definitely takes a couple of views to fully appreciate the humor.
Good stuff.
I needed to watch it a couple of times to really get it. The typing of the domain names happens pretty fast and it's hard to catch the first time you see it because you're paying attention to the dialogue and not really looking at what he's typing on the screen. But the more I watched, the funnier it became.
It definitely takes a couple of views to fully appreciate the humor.
Good stuff.
I liked most of the 2nd commercial - except for the last. Although the sexual innuendo was very slight, we are being constantly bombarded so often with such things these days (like the Viagra & Cialis & Levitra commercials for example), and I feel it's just not necessary. Sex may sell, but your product is not sex - your advertising should reflect the quality of your product without appealing to the values of the "great unwashed".
Thought I would remind you of the "Naysayers" of years past
Good Luck
Scooter
December 01, 2004
No GoDaddy No!
The latest issue of Brandweek is reporting FOX Television has sold 75% of its advertising inventory for the 2005 Super Bowl. Of the 58 thirty-second commercials FOX has to sell, 42 spots are confirmed sold with an asking price of $2.4 million per spot.
The usual suspects (Anheuser-Busch, Pepsi, and Visa) have committed to airing commercials. And some not so usual suspects (CareerBuilder.com and MBNA) are also participating.
And then there is GoDaddy.com.
This fledging domain name registrar has committed to airing one spot during the Super Bowl commercial mayhem in hopes of scoring “huge exposure” for the GoDaddy.com brand.
No GoDaddy no!
I beg you to please put the $2.4 million outlay into building a better product and not waste your entire marketing budget on a thirty-second Super Bowl commercial.
No GoDaddy no! Don’t do it!
You are being blinded by the marketing mirage of creating brand awareness that comes with the possibility of reaching 95 million viewers watching the Super Bowl … not to mention the publicity you hope to gain by being mentioned in the media as an advertiser.
But awareness doesn’t build preference.
Computer.com, OurBeginning.com, netpliance.com, and onmoney.com all tried to build awareness by advertising during the 2000 Super Bowl. Look where it got them – absolutely nowhere. You can learn a lot from their failures.
But since you obviously haven’t learned from the failures of past dot-com failures in advertising, maybe you’ll listen to a dot-com ‘advertising’ success story in Amazon.com.
Amazon has stopped doing broad-scale television advertising in favor of spending marketing dollars to make the customer experience better … like free shipping for orders over $25. (And sales are still going strong at Amazon).
I beg of you GoDaddy … don’t spend $2.4 million on one lousy thirty-second Super Bowl television commercial.
Instead, spend it on areas that will improve your product and improve your customer’s experience. Why? Because products worth talking about get talked about and that will help you go from creating awareness to building preference.
Posted by johnmoore (from Brand Autopsy) at 09:48 PM in Rants, on Go Daddy | Permalink
Good Luck
Scooter
December 01, 2004
No GoDaddy No!
The latest issue of Brandweek is reporting FOX Television has sold 75% of its advertising inventory for the 2005 Super Bowl. Of the 58 thirty-second commercials FOX has to sell, 42 spots are confirmed sold with an asking price of $2.4 million per spot.
The usual suspects (Anheuser-Busch, Pepsi, and Visa) have committed to airing commercials. And some not so usual suspects (CareerBuilder.com and MBNA) are also participating.
And then there is GoDaddy.com.
This fledging domain name registrar has committed to airing one spot during the Super Bowl commercial mayhem in hopes of scoring “huge exposure” for the GoDaddy.com brand.
No GoDaddy no!
I beg you to please put the $2.4 million outlay into building a better product and not waste your entire marketing budget on a thirty-second Super Bowl commercial.
No GoDaddy no! Don’t do it!
You are being blinded by the marketing mirage of creating brand awareness that comes with the possibility of reaching 95 million viewers watching the Super Bowl … not to mention the publicity you hope to gain by being mentioned in the media as an advertiser.
But awareness doesn’t build preference.
Computer.com, OurBeginning.com, netpliance.com, and onmoney.com all tried to build awareness by advertising during the 2000 Super Bowl. Look where it got them – absolutely nowhere. You can learn a lot from their failures.
But since you obviously haven’t learned from the failures of past dot-com failures in advertising, maybe you’ll listen to a dot-com ‘advertising’ success story in Amazon.com.
Amazon has stopped doing broad-scale television advertising in favor of spending marketing dollars to make the customer experience better … like free shipping for orders over $25. (And sales are still going strong at Amazon).
I beg of you GoDaddy … don’t spend $2.4 million on one lousy thirty-second Super Bowl television commercial.
Instead, spend it on areas that will improve your product and improve your customer’s experience. Why? Because products worth talking about get talked about and that will help you go from creating awareness to building preference.
Posted by johnmoore (from Brand Autopsy) at 09:48 PM in Rants, on Go Daddy | Permalink
Great work in Washington, the Internet needs to stay out of the hands of busybodies trying to dictate political correctness to everyone else.
Love it or hate it, the NRA is an excellent example of "Do one thing, do it to the best of your abilities". The NRA's singular focus is to defend and protect the second amendment. No person should be deprived of their right to defend and protect themselves and their loved ones.
I'm a very satisfied GoDaddy customer, and I'm glad I followed through when it was recommended to me. I miss the good old days when domains were free, requiring just adding a line to named.conf and sending an email, but that system couldn't scale. I dislike the heavy marketing I get when I try and add new domains, but it works.
Your words and actions are enough for my wife and I to take a look at working for your company when we return from Afghanistan. As IT security professionals, we look closely at the companies we do business with and rely on, and we've seen a great many examples where your people really did things the best way possible without hindering your customers.
Thanks again for building a solid company that really provides value and follows through with it's commitment to customers.
Chris
Love it or hate it, the NRA is an excellent example of "Do one thing, do it to the best of your abilities". The NRA's singular focus is to defend and protect the second amendment. No person should be deprived of their right to defend and protect themselves and their loved ones.
I'm a very satisfied GoDaddy customer, and I'm glad I followed through when it was recommended to me. I miss the good old days when domains were free, requiring just adding a line to named.conf and sending an email, but that system couldn't scale. I dislike the heavy marketing I get when I try and add new domains, but it works.
Your words and actions are enough for my wife and I to take a look at working for your company when we return from Afghanistan. As IT security professionals, we look closely at the companies we do business with and rely on, and we've seen a great many examples where your people really did things the best way possible without hindering your customers.
Thanks again for building a solid company that really provides value and follows through with it's commitment to customers.
Chris
Kudos to you and your company and keep up those creative ideas for the Super Bowl ads - no matter what the network exec's tell you is appropriate. The Internet and established media outlets both need your racy ad ideas to have something to bitch about (not to mention it's just plain funny). 2 years ago you did this and no one even saw it coming, it's even more amazing that you've been able to continue producing now that the bar has been raised.
The comedy is that this could actually happen in "the office" where a comment is said about "doing" something with, for, to, someone, and overheard in the wrong context could be taken very badly.
The comedy of it is about the situation, that's what sitcoms are all about and many of today's sitcoms and sitcoms of the past have had innuendo that has to be taken the wrong way by taking a comment out of context.
The point is that is simulates reality, and being in an office with a bunch of geeks and nerds could lead to some very funny 'out of context' comments.
I know, because I seem to say these kinds of things myself.
The comedy of it is about the situation, that's what sitcoms are all about and many of today's sitcoms and sitcoms of the past have had innuendo that has to be taken the wrong way by taking a comment out of context.
The point is that is simulates reality, and being in an office with a bunch of geeks and nerds could lead to some very funny 'out of context' comments.
I know, because I seem to say these kinds of things myself.
I was expecting a big deal. There is nothing wrong with the ad except someone's former decision to let J. Jackson's boob intentionally flip out. Stupid decision and now everyone else pays. I would much more have preferred your ad to any one of the many that represent "erectile dysfunction". Try explaining that to your kids during the super bowl. Your ad is great. The problem is the insecure leadership who make a stand to well, prove to us "we're taking a stand!". All the while supporting all the other penile dysfunction stuff that is so nauseating that I can only figure they support it cause, well... maybe they need it...If they keep it out there then maybe they can say, see it's everyone! Right? Right? Say yes OK?
Maybe they should have taken your money and then leave a message on your voice mail at 5pm saying it can't play.
CBS has the right to choose what content they find acceptable for display on their network, by their own standards. This isn't too different from GoDaddy's right to decide what content its customers' domains may or may not display. I think it's fair that as long as one organization wants to police content that the other one be allowed to so as well. Just as I'd suggest a different registrar to those who find GoDaddy's policies objectionable, I'd suggest a different advertising venue to you.
Mr. GoDaddy - aka Bob
Been around since catalogs from PT in the mail box. Good businessman and "GREAT" company of people you've built, again.
Let's see readers........
1. Can't remember last years Super Bowl but I do remember the GoDaddy ad. Probably had something to do with all the beer! Very funny.
2. Before GoDaddy, domains $45/yr from you know who... now $9.95 or less... yeah!
3. What happened to the mig...oops, little people and motorcycle guys doing push-ups?
4. Ok, Doug-Humpas.com, Mister-Winkie.com, Wanda-Humpas.com and Mother-Humpas.com; kids can't process that fast. "Daddy, what are they doing?" "Honey, they are trying to come up with silly web site names." That was hard.
5. NRA comment, breath of fresh air for a business person to state their beliefs.
6. I like the countdown to the ad a whole lot, kinda stargate like. stargate is a registered trademark of ... you get it.. but will the attorneys?
Very clever ad for a population of consumers of technology that still do not get the whole domain name thing for their own purposes. "18 million domain names more than double our next competitor" How many billions in the world population. Plenty of room for growth
All from a guy that has the accent of a Philly pipe-fitter. what a great country.
deano
Been around since catalogs from PT in the mail box. Good businessman and "GREAT" company of people you've built, again.
Let's see readers........
1. Can't remember last years Super Bowl but I do remember the GoDaddy ad. Probably had something to do with all the beer! Very funny.
2. Before GoDaddy, domains $45/yr from you know who... now $9.95 or less... yeah!
3. What happened to the mig...oops, little people and motorcycle guys doing push-ups?
4. Ok, Doug-Humpas.com, Mister-Winkie.com, Wanda-Humpas.com and Mother-Humpas.com; kids can't process that fast. "Daddy, what are they doing?" "Honey, they are trying to come up with silly web site names." That was hard.
5. NRA comment, breath of fresh air for a business person to state their beliefs.
6. I like the countdown to the ad a whole lot, kinda stargate like. stargate is a registered trademark of ... you get it.. but will the attorneys?
Very clever ad for a population of consumers of technology that still do not get the whole domain name thing for their own purposes. "18 million domain names more than double our next competitor" How many billions in the world population. Plenty of room for growth
All from a guy that has the accent of a Philly pipe-fitter. what a great country.
deano
I don't agree with the rejection as I'm against censorship of any kind. But I've to say that your commercial was quite silly.
Also Bob, it doesn't look like you practice what you preach. Could you explain what on earth made you think of shutting down (even only temporary) the site seclists.org/, without even giving them fair notice. That to me, is inexcusable.
Also Bob, it doesn't look like you practice what you preach. Could you explain what on earth made you think of shutting down (even only temporary) the site seclists.org/, without even giving them fair notice. That to me, is inexcusable.
If you thought two businessman having a competition over domain names was silly, you may have missed the point. On a recent Life Online show, Bob stated, "It (the Super Bowl commerical) has to be funny and polarizing to be effective." It may run counter to your beliefs or conventional advertising beliefs to have network TV ads like those from Go Daddy Productions (an in-house production firm) using the formats they do. But can you think of a better way of creating interest? Any way you slice the dice, it is still a big gamble.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Gregory
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Gregory
The Super Bowl ads are supposed to be about pushing the boundaries!! Pretty soon it will get the point they are as boring as the junk on weeknight TV, and I'll Tivo the Bowl and just skip all the commercials.
CBS did a favor to you. It could have been the worst ad of the year.
Sorry to disagree with you on this one.
Sorry to disagree with you on this one.
Great stuff Bob! I loved the second commercial, thought it was hilarious and laughed for about five minutes after seeing it.
Hi Bob - I think CBS actually helped you out. I personally find that commercials which resort to this level of humor actually lower my view of the company. It's hard not to associate the guys in the commercial with your company - a very dangerous association, wouldn't you think? Trusting that your new commercial will be both hysterical AND tasteful - because that wins us ALL over. 
Bob,
I don't think the commercial should have been rejected. The censors seem to be using some kind of bizarre test along the lines of "If my 8 year old child saw this commercial, then asked me to explain it to him and why it is funny, I would probably feel uncomfortable."
Well, that may be true. But, as a parent, you can also just say "Sorry junior. You weren't suppose to get it. It is an adult joke."
So they are basically depriving the adults of a good laugh just so the few with poor parenting and communication skills can not feel inconvenienced or uncomfortable. Catering to the lowest common denominator like this is a sure-fire way to get me to just go take a leak or grab a snack, when I see that it is time for a Super Bowl commercial break.
I don't think the commercial should have been rejected. The censors seem to be using some kind of bizarre test along the lines of "If my 8 year old child saw this commercial, then asked me to explain it to him and why it is funny, I would probably feel uncomfortable."
Well, that may be true. But, as a parent, you can also just say "Sorry junior. You weren't suppose to get it. It is an adult joke."
So they are basically depriving the adults of a good laugh just so the few with poor parenting and communication skills can not feel inconvenienced or uncomfortable. Catering to the lowest common denominator like this is a sure-fire way to get me to just go take a leak or grab a snack, when I see that it is time for a Super Bowl commercial break.
I, too, agree with the rejection of your ad.
The all-too-common perception (actually, a misconception) is that everyone should just be able to do whatever they want. This is not the case. If it were, I'd be busy hacking GoDaddy's servers and stealing bandwidth and you'd be saying to me "go, daddy!". Of course, you wouldn't, because I would have crossed the line you didn't want me to cross.
David (see above post) made an excellent point. I would add that those who intend to continually push the envelope will eventually tear it. This is a fact of physics. The same holds true as relates to morality.
Many business marketers mistakenly believe that the only effective way to win an audience is by shocking them. Wrong. Shock and awe may be a good strategy on the battlefield, but not on internationally broadcast television during prime time.
I refer you to Rule #7 of Bob Parson's "16 Rules for Success": ...Never stop improving. If your ad agency or creative staff can't get you all the business you need without offending others (whether or not they are your potential customers or "of age"
fire them and hire someone better.
Bob, never stop improving: Your company's positive public image and future depends on it. This also applies to your marketing efforts, including Super Bowl advertising.
The all-too-common perception (actually, a misconception) is that everyone should just be able to do whatever they want. This is not the case. If it were, I'd be busy hacking GoDaddy's servers and stealing bandwidth and you'd be saying to me "go, daddy!". Of course, you wouldn't, because I would have crossed the line you didn't want me to cross.
David (see above post) made an excellent point. I would add that those who intend to continually push the envelope will eventually tear it. This is a fact of physics. The same holds true as relates to morality.
Many business marketers mistakenly believe that the only effective way to win an audience is by shocking them. Wrong. Shock and awe may be a good strategy on the battlefield, but not on internationally broadcast television during prime time.
I refer you to Rule #7 of Bob Parson's "16 Rules for Success": ...Never stop improving. If your ad agency or creative staff can't get you all the business you need without offending others (whether or not they are your potential customers or "of age"
fire them and hire someone better.Bob, never stop improving: Your company's positive public image and future depends on it. This also applies to your marketing efforts, including Super Bowl advertising.
Although I have never been a part of any form of advertising, I come from a family that has done so with the major networks. My father in fact has helped film, direct and edit commercial for some of the major 3 networks. I mention this only because of those complaining that GoDaddy is "pushing the envelope" or going beyond the means of normal advertisement to be evenslightly controversial.
They key to any commercial is for viewers to remember the product. When viewers are flooded with commercials all the time, that is a difficult task. Quite often the answer is to push the envelope or be controversial, but that is a fine line. Sexual overtones has been a proven success factor in doing this, as has been making the commercial funny or even politically controversial. All have been proven to do the job. The hard part is to do such things in a manner where the commercial's success doesn't actually over rate the product itself, meaning that people remember the commercial, but not the product. Many great commercials have failed because of this...people may remember a wonderful or hilarious commercial for years, but they cannot remember what the commercial was for...although a success for the commercial itself, it's a failure for the product.
On a side note, you cannot make a commercial that is like every other commercial, it needs to stand out, and by possibly pushing the envelope you gain an edge to do exactly that. Personally I see no reason for this commercial to be rejected. Such types of commercials that are far more sexually oriented and even sitcoms at prime time when kids are watching are placed in front of children viewers all the time, and this commercial is far more tame than those.
What one must also do is orient commercials to the viewing audience when time slots are known. In the case of the Super Bowl, you know your time slot, and the demographics of the viewers. The largest percent of the viewers at this time will be men, not children, so you must direct your commercial design to the audience. I think GoDaddy has done just that. It is also known that the Super Bowl Commercials themselves draw an audience as well, including many women.
In short, GoDaddy's product is largely an adult product in the sense thatnot many kids are going to be looking for or buying domain names and web hosting. I like the commercial, but I think something even better could be thought up. As for the commercial itself, I see nothing wrong with it, and it wouldnt surprise me if CBS is simply making it hard on GoDaddy since Bob is not shy about his beliefs and his somewhat conservative political leanings (nothing wrong with that of course), but they have a differing rule book for people who do not follow their political beliefs than for those that do. If Microsoft were to present them with the same commercial, I bet it would not have been rejected.
They key to any commercial is for viewers to remember the product. When viewers are flooded with commercials all the time, that is a difficult task. Quite often the answer is to push the envelope or be controversial, but that is a fine line. Sexual overtones has been a proven success factor in doing this, as has been making the commercial funny or even politically controversial. All have been proven to do the job. The hard part is to do such things in a manner where the commercial's success doesn't actually over rate the product itself, meaning that people remember the commercial, but not the product. Many great commercials have failed because of this...people may remember a wonderful or hilarious commercial for years, but they cannot remember what the commercial was for...although a success for the commercial itself, it's a failure for the product.
On a side note, you cannot make a commercial that is like every other commercial, it needs to stand out, and by possibly pushing the envelope you gain an edge to do exactly that. Personally I see no reason for this commercial to be rejected. Such types of commercials that are far more sexually oriented and even sitcoms at prime time when kids are watching are placed in front of children viewers all the time, and this commercial is far more tame than those.
What one must also do is orient commercials to the viewing audience when time slots are known. In the case of the Super Bowl, you know your time slot, and the demographics of the viewers. The largest percent of the viewers at this time will be men, not children, so you must direct your commercial design to the audience. I think GoDaddy has done just that. It is also known that the Super Bowl Commercials themselves draw an audience as well, including many women.
In short, GoDaddy's product is largely an adult product in the sense thatnot many kids are going to be looking for or buying domain names and web hosting. I like the commercial, but I think something even better could be thought up. As for the commercial itself, I see nothing wrong with it, and it wouldnt surprise me if CBS is simply making it hard on GoDaddy since Bob is not shy about his beliefs and his somewhat conservative political leanings (nothing wrong with that of course), but they have a differing rule book for people who do not follow their political beliefs than for those that do. If Microsoft were to present them with the same commercial, I bet it would not have been rejected.
Could you elaborate on what you mean by US control of the Internet? As a non-American, that a little sounds ominous to me. It doesn't make a difference to me if the Internet is controlled by the most free and democratic country in the world - if I can't vote in that country, then it may as well be a dictatorship. That's not a criticism of the US - I just don't think it is beneficial for any single country to 'control' the Internet. That doesn't mean it has to be the UN - international organizations are frequently established outside of the auspices of the UN. Also, could you explain why you framed the issue in terms of a 'battle' rather than a collaborative effort? Surely, a battle is not the way to achieve the best outcome for anyone.
On the other issue, I am bemused by the posts suggesting that the rejected commercial was offensive. You can see more offensive commercials playing at any time of the day or night. With respect, most of the people who have expressed a contrary view seemed to be offended already but they took the time to watch the commercial and be 're-offended'. By the way, was there a web-version planned for that commercial?
On the other issue, I am bemused by the posts suggesting that the rejected commercial was offensive. You can see more offensive commercials playing at any time of the day or night. With respect, most of the people who have expressed a contrary view seemed to be offended already but they took the time to watch the commercial and be 're-offended'. By the way, was there a web-version planned for that commercial?
Bob. I'm sorry your Super Bowl commercial was rejected. I really am. I thought it was very well done and had a funny ending. And I'm sure it would have been talked about for years and laughed at by many people.
One the other hand, I understand why CBS rejected it. They don't want anymore hate mail. Maybe it would have made it through if the ending was not MOM but girlfriend or wife. But even then the meaning to so many millions of people would be the same. I guess it was just to indirectly direct.
One the other hand, I understand why CBS rejected it. They don't want anymore hate mail. Maybe it would have made it through if the ending was not MOM but girlfriend or wife. But even then the meaning to so many millions of people would be the same. I guess it was just to indirectly direct.
I'm a current go daddy customer. I did watch the super bowl and was excited, at first, to see a go daddy commercial. I've never seen one before. Sadly, I was embarrassed. After my year has expired, I will need to transfer to a different company. I thought I subscribed to a wholesome and a make a difference kind of company. A company that would be different and not fall in the misguided realm that many advertising agencies have fallen into along with their partner companies.
I work very hard in my life to set the example morally. I live by a standard. I strive to be a man of integrity and purity for my children, family, and friends. I will leave a legacy of faith and obedience behind when I leave this earth. I need to ask you, have you thought what you will leave behind? Will it last beyond your years? Will you be remembered as a man who changed lives?
I'm a devoted follower of Jesus Christ and His teachings contained in the Bible. May HE be the example we emulate and obey?
Look in the culture today. Families are falling apart. Dad's are hardly in their children's lives or their families. Be the man who will set the example to so many younger men and boys and many of the women and girls. You have the capabilities and the choice. Help bring back the integrity of our nation, a nation who trusts God and obeys His laws.
I may not be a business man, but I do know what will last. Sensuality and sexuality may make a quick buck, but is short lived. It only leads to an unfulfilled life. But what will last is how we promoted family, love, unity, and trust. Also, what we have instilled in our children that will last for generations to come.
Thank you for the great service you do offer. The technicians have been excellent and very helpful, but what you promote is not something that I would like to be connected to.
Obviously, trying to please everyone is not practical. Your best direction is to please God and you’ll never go wrong.
Sincerely,
Wayne
You shouldn't be embarrassed by GoDaddy's commercials. They were produced by my staff — not by you.
When you sit down and analyze them, while I know they are not exactly what you'd ideally like to see, they really are not so far out. Really what did we do so wrong? We showed a bunch of people dancing and having a good time, and then a group of women spraying champagne on Candice Michelle for a few seconds. That's really not so out of bounds.
I get judged by people all the time. Why they worry more about me than theirselves mystifies me. Remember the quote: Worry more about the log in your eye, than the spec in your neighbors.
It's easy to overlook all the good GoDaddy does. We support a number of charitable organizations, from Children's causes to domestic violence centers, to support centers for young unwed mothers. Many organizations much larger than us don't provide anywhere near the support we do. But often that's overlooked.
On the business side, there's no other registrar that provides close to the level of support, range of products and good pricing that we do. That's because we take our business and our customers seriously.
The point I'm trying to make here is that it's always a mistake to throw out the baby with the bathwater. So don't be so quick to judge us. There's quite a bit of good here — aside from our commercials (which I will point out the majority of people rather like).
Know that if you should decide to remain as a customer, or return if you leave, you will always be welcome here.
Appreciate your post,
Bob