This post is part of our Ads Gone Bad series. Share your thoughts and memories of this ad in the comments, and be sure to check out our other posts on marketing gone wrong.
In 2005, internet registrar GoDaddy.com made advertising history when its commercial showing a busty model struggling to keep her top on as she "testifies" before a group of politicians about the company's advertising plans proved too hot for the Super Bowl.
The spot was so racy and tasteless that Fox pulled it from its telecast of the game between the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles before it was shown a second time. How the network that brought the world such tasteful programs as "Married By America" had the nerve to pass judgment on GoDaddy is beyond me.
What's interesting to me about GoDaddy's advertisements is why the company does it. Its core business of registering internet domains is basically a commodity service. Competition to register Web sites is pretty stiff and only going to intensify.
Chief Executive Bob Parsons decided to pull the company's planned IPO in April 2006, saying that "the state of the stock market for an IPO is as uncertain as it could be." What he failed to mention was that GoDaddy hadn't had a profitable year since it was founded in 1997. I do not know the current state of the company's finances.
GoDaddy, though, continues to market itself on the NFL championship and, given the future of its business, will have to do so for some to come.
See other examples of Ads Gone Bad.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-05-2008 @ 6:47PM
mrk said...
Again, this is nothing compared with other countries. I thought it was kind of funny, though it went on for a bit too long. Offensive? Maybe to women. Too suggestive? Not to anyone but humor-less right-wing nuts.
9-05-2008 @ 9:05PM
TimC said...
Very funny and definitely kept my attention.To many uptight people trying to force their narrow minded opinions on everyone else.I didnt see a problem with it
9-07-2008 @ 5:25PM
tom said...
If all advertising was as eye catching as the go Daddy Ad, Television would be watched more often.
Especially during commercials.
9-07-2008 @ 8:26PM
Teresa in Virginia said...
I think this is awful. The woman looks like a complete idiot. Do we really want to continue the stereotype that women are just for sex and can't form thoughts. There is enough of that. Don't you think?
9-07-2008 @ 9:21PM
katie said...
I thought that was actully really funny, especailly when the court was like "I bet there not even real"
9-09-2008 @ 3:54AM
Garrison said...
Danica Patrick, the woman race car driver is the "busty model" and has no doubt gained a ton of fans for her and her sport. Go Daddy has kept on doing these ads. Each year there's another one aired on the super bowl. So, they aren't backing off.
9-08-2008 @ 11:42AM
Jose said...
That is not Danica Patrick, it is Candice Michelle and I loved the ad.
9-09-2008 @ 2:09PM
monique said...
well i agree with tom in one way.. if it was all "eye catching." but then men would change their way of thinking if all the "eye catching" was of half naked men instead. then women would certainly like it more as well. men like to dish it out.. but they cant take it when its turned around. and its perfectly fine for men to be attracted to the female body.. its normal. but this sort of stuff is for the more immature, loser type of males. life has no meaning for them otherwise
9-30-2008 @ 6:43PM
James said...
Oh brother. Doesn't America have any sense of humor at all?
10-25-2008 @ 12:18PM
whoever said...
OK anybody thats saying they don't have a problem with this ad is a pervert. Its a mindless chic dancing around getting the men sexual aroused. Its tasteless and completely pointless. Its just another thing wrong with society, the moral values are going out the window.
10-26-2008 @ 12:25PM
m said...
The act of selfless ignorance that this poor woman is portraying is sad. Yes, she is beautiful, but acting so stupid makes her very unattractive. Respect yourself a little ladies! Yes, most men liked this ad, but at the end of the day, she was just another dumb model who had no respect for herself. Saying this as a guy, she would have been much more attractive acting smart and portraying self-confidence and respect for herself.
10-26-2008 @ 1:57PM
tom kelly said...
very nice,,,,what a bunch of uptight jackasses
10-26-2008 @ 2:01PM
tom kelly said...
holy crap get a life and maybe you will get some!!!!!!!
10-26-2008 @ 3:00PM
tom kelly said...
hey why doesnt everybody write to there stupid pols and tell them to give you bail out money,,,and tell them you will spent it better to you than those losers on wall street that dont pay enought taxes how about that
10-27-2008 @ 7:08PM
chris said...
The only thing wrong with the ad was she kept fixing the top :0(
10-30-2008 @ 2:55PM
paloma said...
as funny as it may be, it showed many sexist overtones by showing the older men to be very interested and the older women to be very jealous and bitter-like.....I didn't like it. Sex sells, but this was just pushing it.
11-19-2008 @ 10:48AM
Federalist said...
Again, this is nothing compared with other countries. I thought it was kind of funny, though it went on for a bit too long. Offensive? Maybe to women. Too suggestive? Not to anyone but humor-less right-wing nuts.
------------------------------Well, I am a right wing nut, and I LOVE the commercial! :-)