May 3, 2005 — (WEB HOST INDUSTRY REVIEW) — Web hosting provider and domain registrar Go Daddy (godaddy.com) has fired its advertising agency Ad Store and will now handle advertising in-house, reports say.
Ad Store, based in New York, developed Go Daddy’s highly successful Super Bowl commercial, which featured actress Candice Michelle spoofing Janet Jackson’s wardrobe malfunction and poked fun at media censorship. The ad was considered by many to be the best of this year’s Super Bowl ads.
But it was the second commercial Ad Store produced that created a wave of media attention for Go Daddy, helping dramatically raise its profile. That ad, featuring the same actress dancing in a provocative manner, was rejected by Fox because of concerns over its “suggestiveness.” It instantly became a cult phenomenon, airing on Go Daddy’s Web site and others, and led to coverage from every major news outlet in North America.
Go Daddy says it plans to focus on response-oriented commercials instead of ads designed to raise brand awareness. The company left open the option of re-hiring Ad Store for future campaigns.
Just last week, the company said it had become the world’s largest domain registrar, unseating longtime leader Network Solutions (networksolutions.com).
