January 29, 2010 – (HOSTSEARCH.COM) – What is offensive about a retired football star transitioning into a career as a successful Internet entrepreneur? That's the question
Go Daddy is asking viewers about the one Go Daddy Super Bowl commercial that was not approved to air in this year's big game.
"Of the five commercial concepts we submitted for approval this year, this NEVER would've been my pick for the one that would not be approved," exclaimed Go Daddy CEO and Founder Bob Parsons. "This is about a guy who starts an online business and hits the jackpot. I just don't think "Lola" is offensive, in fact we didn't see this one coming, we were absolutely blindsided!"
The thirty-second commercial is narrated by Go Daddy Girl Danica Patrick and features a character named "Lola," who launches a new career as a fashion designer with an online store.
Parsons is revealing "Lola" online to see what the public thinks. "I predict most people will say "Lola" is hilarious! To critics I would say, we finally produced a Super Bowl commercial that speaks to our core business helping people be successful online."
A Focus on the Family commercial has been approved to air in this year's Super Bowl and sparked controversy because it advocates a politically motivated message. The conservative watchdog organization, Media Research Center, however, defends the Christian group's commercial saying networks have approved "Go Daddy ads, which typically feature big-breasted women," and are presumably more offensive than a religious-oriented message.
"Lola is not a 'big-breasted woman'. Lola is a big, flamboyant, effeminate, lovable man," Parsons replied.
The domain name registrar and Web hosting provider purchased slots in the first and fourth quarters of the Super Bowl. Go Daddy's "Movies" spot has already been selected and approved as one of this year's Super Bowl commercials, but now Go Daddy needs to announce which other ad it intends to air. Go Daddy Productions shot five different concepts with a variety of endings.
"We've accepted we have to go with another option one that's been approved and one that is still 100 percent GoDaddy-esque," Parsons promised, referring to a term the media coined to describe Go Daddy commercials as "fun, edgy and slightly inappropriate."
In 2006, Go Daddy helped pioneer the practice of pushing Super Bowl viewers to the Web. Last year, Go Daddy drove more Web traffic than any other Super Bowl advertiser, according to comScore. Once again this year, Go Daddy will invite viewers to "See More Now" with unrated "Internet-Only" versions to be unveiled at www.GoDaddy.com on Super Bowl Sunday.
