[February 07, 2011]

Go Daddy Spikes Internet & Rings Register with Edgy Super Bowl Ads

Go Daddy did it again … used edgy commercials to score a Super Bowl "knock out!" The world's largest Web hosting provider and domain name registrar doubled its best-ever immediate Web spike and converted the Internet traffic into sales and new customers unlike ever before in the company's storied seven-year Super Bowl history.

Surprise! New GoDaddy.CO Girl is Iconic Comedienne Joan Rivers (Photo: Business Wire)

"We scored several Go Daddy Super Bowl records," beamed Go Daddy CEO and Founder Bob Parsons (News - Alert). "Our fourth-quarter commercial spiked our Internet traffic higher than any Super Bowl ad we've ever done … ever! And even better - calls, conversion and cash were off the charts! In fewer than 15 minutes after Go Daddy's first Super Bowl commercial aired, our domain name registrations shot up more than 466 percent over last year."

Go Daddy's first Internet traffic surge hit when the highly-anticipated GoDaddy.CO Girl was unveiled toward the end of the first quarter. The ad quickly helped push Go Daddy over the 46 million mark for domain names under management, which is more than any other registrar by far.

Iconic comedienne Joan Rivers was not what viewers expected for the big reveal! Online guesses about the new Go Daddy Girl's identity had ranged from Kim Kardashian, to Sophia Vergara and Britney Spears. The 77-year-old Hollywood icon was described as the Betty White of this year's Super Bowl and was a trending topic on Twitter almost immediately.

"Why did I do my first Super Bowl ad … with Go Daddy … now?" Joan joked. "Go Daddy's been bugging me since 1948. I finally gave in. I figured how much longer can this magnificent body hold up? Seriously, it's adorable and the Internet-Only version at GoDaddy.CO is where I really let loose!"

As is Go Daddy tradition, the newest spokesperson looked smoking hot. Yes, it's Joan's iconic face and voice. The rest is courtesy of a body double and a little Internet "magic" to reinforce the idea you can reinvent yourself online - because anything is possible with a .CO domain name.

"he idea was to show people they really can make their dreams come true on the Internet," Parsons explained. "We wanted to do a Go Daddy Super Bowl commercial poking fun at our reputation and raising awareness for dotCO. This ad did it all … with a nice twist. And it definitely rocked the Internet!"

.CO, yes - .CO, not .COM - is billed as the Internet's hottest new domain name extension. "It's a memorable, meaningful Web address that opens up millions of new, creative branding opportunities for entrepreneurs and businesses on the Internet," said Juan Diego Calle, CEO and Founder of .CO Internet S.A.S. "This ad is working for us already. Almost immediately, we recorded a huge uptick in .CO domain name registrations."

Go Daddy spiked Internet traffic with its second-half spot … and then some. "The Contract" spoofed Go Daddy's reputation for over-the-top, edgy ads by pitting Go Daddy Girls Danica Patrick and Jillian Michaels at odds with Go Daddy executives over their contractual obligations for the commercial.

Within two minutes, viewers jumped to log on to GoDaddy.com, like never before. In fact, "The Contract" more than doubled the enormous Internet spike generated by Go Daddy's 2008 Super Bowl ad, "Exposure," which drove viewers to see a commercial banned because of the word "beaver."

"I think 'The Contract' is one of the funniest commercials we've ever made," said Danica. "The Internet-Only version is where it all really comes together and acting it out with Jillian Michaels was fun!"

Jillian joined Go Daddy in September. These were her first-ever Super Bowl commercial appearances and they've come with some controversy. "I have a lot of people ask me why I decided to be a Go Daddy Girl ... there is this perception that Go Daddy objectifies women. The reality is Go Daddy takes strong women and allows us to be sexy and feminine. And yet still powerful!" Jillian explained.

To see the Internet-Only versions, as well as what aired in the Super Bowl, visit www.GoDaddy.COM or www.GoDaddy.CO.

For help with realizing your online dreams, visit www.GoDaddy.COM.

Follow & Friend Go Daddy on Twitter & Facebook.

About The Go Daddy Group, Inc.

Go Daddy is a leading provider of services that enable individuals and businesses to establish, maintain and evolve an online presence. Go Daddy provides a variety of domain name registration plans and website design and hosting packages, as well as a broad array of on-demand services. These include products such as SSL Certificates, Domains by Proxy private registration, ecommerce website hosting, blog templates and blog software, podcast packages and online photo hosting. The Go Daddy Group has more than 46 million domain names under management. Go Daddy registers, renews or transfers a domain name every second. GoDaddy.com is the world's largest Web hosting provider and is the world's No. 1 domain name registrar according to Name Intelligence, Inc. During the first half of 2010, The Go Daddy Group registered more than one-third of all new domain names created in the top six generic top-level domains, or gTLDs, including .com, .net, .org, .info, .biz and .mobi.

- The Go Daddy Group -
Copyright © 2011 GoDaddy.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6600208&lang=en

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