Last Place is Better than Middle of the Pack — For GoDaddy

Analyzing Super Bowl commercial results for the world’s biggest domain name registrar.

Another year, another GoDaddy Super Bowl commercial media circus. And that’s just how the firm likes it.

This year was no different than past. The firm created a stir. Big props to Morality in Media for sending out a x-rated news release on Christian Newswire telling parents to keep their kids away from GoDaddy’s commercials (while simultaneously telling parents to check out GoDaddy.com).

Apparently the GoDaddy ads hit consumers with a thud. USA Today’s Ad Meter ranked GoDaddy’s ads #60 and #63. Out of 63.

But that’s not as bad as it sounds. The idea is to get a reaction, good or bad. By having the “worst Super Bowl ad”, GoDaddy is getting a lot of press. Press it wouldn’t get if its commercials were ranked #32 and #33.

How much longer can GoDaddy milk this game? Adam Strong thinks GoDaddy’s commercials jumped the shark. I’ll agree that they were pretty lame. (Take one part Danica Patrick, add girls, have them act like they’re taking their shirts off.)

GoDaddy will point out that it received the biggest web traffic spike of any advertiser in the game. But those people were going to GoDaddy with hopes of seeing naked girls, not to register domains. I’m sure it resulted in more orders, but the conversion rate was surely low.

Nonetheless, this branding strategy put GoDaddy on the map. When GoDaddy ran its first Super Bowl ad, few in the general public had heard of the firm. Now it’s a household name.

Now the firm is taking another play from the tried-and-true publicity playbook. It’s now asking people to make their own GoDaddy commercials and upload them to YouTube as part of a contest.

That’s marketing blocking and tackling. And it works.