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GoDaddy.com's Multimillion Dollar Super Bowl Decision
©2005 About, Inc ^ | Feb. 4, 2005 | ©2005 About, Inc.

Posted on 02/04/2005 6:35:10 PM PST by Former Military Chick

Domain name registrar GoDaddy.com is making a Super Bowl play with a $2.4 million commercial in the first quarter. The company's getting a lot of buzz over the decision as well as some criticism from marketing experts.

Brand Autopsy's reaction to the news came in a blog post titled No GoDaddy No!. Comments from happy GoDaddy customers, unhappy customers and even GoDaddy CEO Bob Parsons defending his strategy have flooded the site.

There's been so much hype over GoDaddy's decision that The New York Times followed up with a reference to GoDaddy's Super Bowl ad and the discussion over on Brand Autopsy's site. GoDaddy's reaping the rewards of articles pointing out the only dot coms to sign on so far are it and CareerBuilder.com.

But this has also lead to some experts saying dot coms just aren't ready for the big game. Despite the fact that dot coms do have staying power and aren't always fly-by-night like the Super Bowl bust in 2000.

CareerBuilder.com isn't catching the flack over entering the Super Bowl like GoDaddy has. Success stories like dot com Super Bowl advertisers Monster.com and HotJobs.com may have just helped paved the way for other career sites looking to get in on the game. They've added more credibility than most people attach to a dot commer advertising.

So what's in it for GoDaddy then? Let's take a look:

Analyzing the Ad Dollars Parsons says the money for the ad came from cash reserves so the company's not banking on the ad to recoup the ad dollars. He maintains GoDaddy.com will be just fine even if the ad is a complete flop.

This is a far different attitude than the dot com advertisers of Super Bowl XXXIV. Defunct dot coms like pets.com and lifeminders.com banked an average ad cost of $2.1 million into building their brand within 30 seconds.

One :30 Commercial Isn't a Quick Fix A Super Bowl commercial exposes you to millions of viewers instantly, many who are watching just for the commercials. But how many are really paying attention to the overall message and the call to action? One Super Bowl commercial isn't an effective advertising campaign.

Parsons says the Super Bowl is just a kickoff to a complete direct mail, print radio and TV campaign for GoDaddy. This is an absolute must as opposed to Super Bowl advertisers that blow their entire ad budget on that one :30 commercial.

Lessons from a Successful Dot Com Long-time Super Bowl advertiser Monster.com has used the Super Bowl to help build its brand for the past six years, coupled with a long-term ad campaign. The success of 1999's "When I Grow Up" ad (under the 2000 category here) caught everyone's attention and resulted in a lot of site traffic for the company.

Monster's senior vice president of marketing says those hits after the Super Bowl have decreased over time. That and a new deal with Internet Broadcasting Systems caused Monster.com to end its six year advertising run in the Super Bowl.

GoDaddy wants to make a splash. The initial attention the company's getting from the Super Bowl is certainly helping. Making it stick is another matter entirely. GoDaddy's ad campaign after the Super Bowl is key.

Using Your Advertising and PR Wisely GoDaddy's PR efforts have also helped establish the company's credibility and staying power. The company has already donated $250,000 to AmeriCares to help victims of the tsunami disaster and Parsons says the company continues to help with projects like orphanages, domestic violence centers and the food bank in its Arizona-based community.

Targeting the Consumer GoDaddy's services aren't limited to simple domain registration. The focus of the campaign should also be on its Web hosting, design and Email services as these are recurrent costs for GoDaddy.

Since most Web savvy people already know about GoDaddy, the campaign's ideal target audience is the Internet user who has always wanted to his or her own Web site but has no idea how to get started. We've all been there and, at some point, most of us took the leap to learn how to create our own sites. This is a great chance for GoDaddy to show the audience how simple setting up a Web site can be and how GoDaddy is the solution for everything they need to get started.

Other Spending Solutions There are a number of ways GoDaddy could've spent $2.4 million in advertising. Disney's Orange Bowl promotion gave everyone in attendance a free ticket to Disneyland to help celebrate the park's 50th anniversary. If everyone uses their ticket, Disney's cost is $4.3 million.

GoDaddy could easily give away free Web hosting or free Web design for $2.4 million. The buzz is half of the attraction for any advertiser. A promotion like Disney's generated a lot of press and major promotions handled right do get that free publicity.

From Disney's perspective, even if everyone comes to the park and Disney's $4.3 million ticket cost is redeemed, Disney's still getting the benefits of in-park sales from food, souvenirs, etc.

This is another way GoDaddy could benefit in a promotion like this. Even if everyone was given a certificate for a free year of Web hosting and all redeemed it, GoDaddy offers other services that could up sell customers.

Most people who would come for free Web hosting wouldn't have a Web site or a domain name. They buy the domain from GoDaddy and maybe even the design if they don't want to handle building the site themselves.

Offering customers incentives is another great way to spend the ad dollars. Using the money to better your own services and offer incentives to your customers can be very effective. Just ask Amazon.com who used this same structure to better its Web site and offer free shipping on orders over $25.

GoDaddy's company is in a unique position because any ad expert will tell you you need a Web site even if you don't sell products or services over the Internet. This is another way GoDaddy can benefit in the advertising world.

The cost of the Super Bowl ad could've reached a broad spectrum of consumers in a number of ways using this approach. Print ads in magazines for writers could stress the importance of every writer needing a Web site and how easy GoDaddy makes it for them. Print ads in parenting magazines could show how easy GoDaddy can get them set up online so they can share pictures with family and friends who are on the other side of the country.

GoDaddy has a lot of possibilities available. Watching the direction the ad campaign takes will be something we all have to keep an eye on.

Of course, there are countless ways companies can spend $2.4 million in advertising and promotions. For any company, building the brand and maintaining it is an ongoing process. The Super Bowl won't establish GoDaddy's brand but the company's persistence in long-term advertising, promotions and PR efforts will.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: ads; commercials; superbowl; superbowlads
Hey I am with the next person, I enjoy the half time commercials. But, frankly something has to give. You can have a commercial such as the one in this article pass muster (after several failed attempts) and yet an ad with member of the cloth looking at a Lincoln truck is sacked is beyond my comprehension.

Also, and I know I am not in the minority on this one, how the heck do the viagra type ads past muster.

You know the Superbowl is a guy event. But, it is hoped that wives, girlfriends and kids watch as well.

Who is going to break away from the game to explain to milly and billy bob what those little blue pills do? Tick tock, what is the point of the ad's?

So, where do we draw the line. Frankly I do not get the big wigs line so maybe someone on FR has an idea why some should not be part of the game are part of the game and those that seem innocent enough of canned. Stumped in the heartland.

Oh, at least they now will have a loooooooong delay to avoid a costume malfunction.

1 posted on 02/04/2005 6:35:11 PM PST by Former Military Chick
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To: All

Super Bowl Ads Could Stir More Controversy
Advertising Blog
« Super Bowl Commercial Trivia | Main | Ad Agencies Could Feel the Effects of the P&G Gillette Buyout »

From Apryl Duncan,
Your Guide to Advertising.
FREE GIFT with Newsletter! Act Now!

January 28, 2005
Super Bowl Ads Could Stir More Controversy
The indecency uproar of Super Bowl XXXVIII has FOX and the NFL watching out for any controversial content in Super Bowl XXXIX. FOX banned a commercial featuring Mickey Rooney's bare bottom.

But there are other ads scheduled to air in the Super Bowl that could cause a lot of buzz. Cialis has decided to advertise in the big game for the second year in a row. A :60 commercial will air in the third quarter with the mandatory side effects included.

Last year's Cialis Super Bowl ad contained the line, "Men who experience an erection for more than four hours should seek immediate medical attention." Some people had problems with the line but it will make a return as it's required by the FDA.

Degree deodorant will also launch the first commercial of an ad campaign spanning several months during the Super Bowl. Industry pros say the action figure commercials could cause some controversy over their edgy Mama's boy theme.


2 posted on 02/04/2005 6:44:03 PM PST by Former Military Chick (For News All Military check out: http://earlybirdnews.blogspot.com/2004/12/todays-early-bird-news.ht)
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To: Former Military Chick

The Superbowl has commercials?


3 posted on 02/04/2005 6:46:04 PM PST by bikepacker67
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To: bikepacker67

Isn't it a commercial with a touch of football?


4 posted on 02/04/2005 7:00:11 PM PST by Former Military Chick (For News All Military check out: http://earlybirdnews.blogspot.com/2004/12/todays-early-bird-news.ht)
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To: Former Military Chick

I'll admit my ignorance. This is the first time I ever heard of these guys.


5 posted on 02/04/2005 7:26:37 PM PST by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: Former Military Chick

I'm confused, what exactly does GoDaddy.com do?


6 posted on 02/04/2005 8:06:42 PM PST by wagglebee ("We are ready for the greatest achievements in the history of freedom." -- President Bush, 1/20/05)
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To: wagglebee

When I saw covered on the FOX news, it said it sold domain names at some cheap price per month.


7 posted on 02/04/2005 8:08:30 PM PST by Former Military Chick (For News All Military check out: http://earlybirdnews.blogspot.com/2004/12/todays-early-bird-news.ht)
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To: Former Military Chick

So, it's another Klintoon-style overvalued dotcom that will probably be out of business in six months.


8 posted on 02/04/2005 8:10:30 PM PST by wagglebee ("We are ready for the greatest achievements in the history of freedom." -- President Bush, 1/20/05)
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To: wagglebee

You had to give me that mental image as I was about to sign off and go to sleep .... now I will be awake for oh I don't know how many hours getting the klintoon picture out of my mind.


9 posted on 02/04/2005 8:14:02 PM PST by Former Military Chick (For News All Military check out: http://earlybirdnews.blogspot.com/2004/12/todays-early-bird-news.ht)
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To: Former Military Chick

Sweet dreams!

10 posted on 02/04/2005 8:16:43 PM PST by wagglebee ("We are ready for the greatest achievements in the history of freedom." -- President Bush, 1/20/05)
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To: wagglebee

Among other things, they will register an Internet domain name for you for a small annual fee (smaller than many other big-name registrars).


11 posted on 02/04/2005 8:28:31 PM PST by The Electrician
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To: wagglebee
oooohhhh I am going to get even ...
12 posted on 02/04/2005 8:49:10 PM PST by Former Military Chick (For News All Military check out: http://earlybirdnews.blogspot.com/2004/12/todays-early-bird-news.ht)
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To: Former Military Chick

LOL! :)


13 posted on 02/04/2005 8:50:14 PM PST by wagglebee ("We are ready for the greatest achievements in the history of freedom." -- President Bush, 1/20/05)
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To: wagglebee
godaddy.com hosts and registers web sites. I have about 5 sites with them. They are the best service IMO.

Here's my question, what is the controversy? That fact that godaddy is bragging that they are one of only two .com's advertising during the superbowl this year?
14 posted on 02/04/2005 8:55:00 PM PST by Vision (The New York Times...All the news to fit a one world government)
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To: Cicero

I've been using Godaddy for several years. This year, I switched to Hostsave because the price is the same and I don't have to transfer the domain after I buy it.


15 posted on 02/04/2005 8:58:19 PM PST by Poser (Joining Belly Girl in the Pajamahadeen)
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To: Former Military Chick

Well this certainly looks like money well spent. They get the most PR of all the ads, plus, because FOX wimped out and didn't run their second ad, they get a refund. Way to GODADDY!


16 posted on 02/07/2005 11:17:13 AM PST by ClintonBeGone (In politics, sometimes it's OK for even a Wolverine to root for a Buckeye win.)
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To: bikepacker67; Cicero; wagglebee; Vision; Poser; ClintonBeGone

So if you watched the game, how do think this ad went over to the home bound viewer. I suppose they can now check by hits to their website still I thought it was tacky.

As for FOX do not get me started on their entertainment division. It is really amazing how 2 channels can be so different.

You have fair and balanced with I feel a right leading channel and then you have FOX with "Trading Spouses," Find my dad, raunchy stuff.

I suppose the viewers must want it.


17 posted on 02/07/2005 7:45:11 PM PST by Former Military Chick
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To: Former Military Chick
I was in the bathroom and missed the ad. From what I hear, it was nothing to write home about.

As for Fox -- look at the other networks, they start on the left an move straight to communism. So at least Fox has one "sane" division.

18 posted on 02/07/2005 7:48:44 PM PST by wagglebee ("We are ready for the greatest achievements in the history of freedom." -- President Bush, 1/20/05)
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To: wagglebee

Excellent point. It still does amaze me that they are so different in the values.

But, it is in demand which is why it is on.


19 posted on 02/07/2005 7:50:02 PM PST by Former Military Chick
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To: wagglebee
I'm confused, what exactly does GoDaddy.com do?

Sells Pets.com sockpuppets.

20 posted on 02/07/2005 8:00:33 PM PST by Willie Green (Go Pat Go!!!)
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