At my Super Bowl party, the early ads failed to draw much
attention from my companions. The commercial breaks lacked a certain “Super
Bowl atmosphere.” We often talked over them, almost as though they were typical,
non-essential breaks in the middle of a television show.
Everybody stopped talking. We watched in silence.
And then… we saw GoDaddy’s spot starring Bar Rafaeli and
Danica Patrick.
Everybody stopped talking. We watched in silence.
Everyone HATED it.
Is it offensive? It’s at least awkward. Personally, I just
started thinking about what will become of the poor guy who plays “Walter.” It
must be rough to live out all your years knowing the undisputed best day of
your life is already behind you.
The spot was universally abhorred, finishing dead last onthe USA Today Ad Meter. And therefore, it is potentially a smashing success.
The worst fate for a Super Bowl commercial is to get lost
in the shuffle. Seen as mediocre. Ignored, as Super Bowl partygoers choose to
discuss Joe Flacco’s passing accuracy instead of paying attention to your spot.
GoDaddy’s shockingly low approval ratings earn extra PR,
which equates to more free advertising and name recognition for GoDaddy. Which is
really all they want.
Not everyone can get away with this approach. If you’re
JP Morgan, looking crass isn’t worth the extra attention. But as someone who
has bought a domain name from GoDaddy, I can attest to the fact I don’t need to
like them or trust their aesthetic judgments. I just need my brain to remember
the name of a business that will get me a domain name. And GoDaddy’s name is
out there. Way, way out there.
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