GoDaddy.com(R) Locked in Super Bowl(R) Showdown

GoDaddy.com(R) Locked in Super Bowl(R) Showdown

14th & Final Commercial Attempt Sits in Limbo

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Feb. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- GoDaddy.com, the No. 1 registrar of domain names worldwide -- and the advertiser censored in last year's Super Bowl commercial controversy -- is in a standoff, stuck waiting for approval to advertise during America's big game. After 14 revisions and weeks of intense negotiations, the ABC Television network is withholding approval for the Internet powerhouse to broadcast a "GoDaddy-Esque" commercial in Super Bowl XL(R).

"It's a good thing I can handle rejection," said Bob Parsons, founder and president of GoDaddy.com. "From the beginning, all I ever wanted was to get our ad approved and on the air. GoDaddy's commercial may not appeal to everyone, but I guarantee it will be FUN, edgy and just a touch inappropriate -- that is the definition of 'GoDaddy-Esque.' It's not nearly as racy as the Victoria's Secret commercial, which ABC has aired many times, or the Jessica Simpson ad which ABC has already approved for the Super Bowl."

GoDaddy.com spent months of time and more than $1 million developing 14 different spots in an effort to produce a commercial that would be acceptable to both Go Daddy and ABC TV. Go Daddy agreed to buy a 30-second ad in the February 5 Super Bowl, but is struggling to win creative approval from the ABC Television network's "Standards and Practices" division.

Last year, GoDaddy.com's edgy commercial, a parody on censorship, was pulled before it aired a scheduled second time during the Super Bowl. The ensuing controversy resulted in more than $11 million of publicity, according to multivision inc. The spot also earned Go Daddy(R) a 51% "Share of Voice," a percentage some say is the largest "S.O.V." attributed to ANY Super Bowl advertiser EVER. The spot ranked #4 in the Top Ten Commercials of 2005, according to USA Today. It was ranked as 2005's "Smartest Ad Campaign" by Business 2.0 magazine and CNN/Money and spawned the term "GoDaddy-Esque" because of its cutting edge messaging.

"I ask you, what is more American than parody? Last year really struck a nerve. GoDaddy.com is definitely on someone's radar," Parsons said.

Parsons believes the attention generated by last year's censorship coverage is making advertising again this year more difficult, but defends the creative content that ABC rejected as being no more risque than what airs on primetime television.

"I've received dozens of requests from media outlets wanting to see the rejected commercials. GoDaddy.com has nothing to hide. In fact, I think when you see our commercials many of you will wonder what all the fuss was about," said Parsons. "You decide. Take a look and let us know if our ideas, the commercials we produced and the concepts that were rejected are really too much for America's Super Bowl audience."

Since last year's Super Bowl success, GoDaddy.com has become the world's undisputed leader of domain name registrars, both in terms of new registrations and domain under management. The Go Daddy Group now has more than 11.6 million domains in its portfolio and is also the leading shared hosting provider in North America.

A news conference on today's developments is scheduled for 3 p.m. MST at GoDaddy.com, located at 14455 N. Hayden Rd., Suite #226, in Scottsdale, Arizona. DVDs of denied creative content will be provided at the news conference. You can also read more about GoDaddy.com's quest to advertise in Super Bowl XL by visiting www.bobparsons.com.

About The Go Daddy Group, Inc.

GoDaddy.com(R) is the world's No. 1 domain name registrar both in terms of new registrations and domains under management. GoDaddy.com enables individuals and businesses to acquire, create and safeguard their unique identities and brands on the Internet by offering a complete line of web development tools, including domain name registration, hosting, email systems, SSL certificates, domain auctions and appraisals, and complementary products and services. The Go Daddy Group includes three ICANN-accredited domain name registrars: flagship registrar GoDaddy.com, the world's No. 1 registrar both in terms of new daily registrations and domains under management (www.GoDaddy.com), membership-based registrar Blue Razor(R) Domains, Inc. (www.bluerazor.com), and reseller registrar Wild West Domains(R), Inc. (www.wildwestdomains.com). The Go Daddy Group also offers private domain name registration services through Domains By Proxy(R), Inc. (www.domainsbyproxy.com), as well as SSL Certificates through its SSL Certificate Authority, Starfield Technologies(R), Inc. (www.starfieldtech.com). The Go Daddy Group registers or renews a domain name every 3 seconds and has more than 11.6 million domain names in its portfolio.

- The Go Daddy Group -

(C) 2006 GoDaddy.com. All Rights Reserved.

Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click appropriate link. Bob Parsons http://profnet.prnewswire.com/ud_public.jsp?userid=350318

Source: GoDaddy.com

CONTACT: Dan Siegel, PR Specialist of GoDaddy.com, +1-480-505-8800,
ext. 4262, dsiegel@GoDaddy.com

Web site: http://www.starfieldtech.com/

Web site: http://www.domainsbyproxy.com/

Web site: http://www.wildwestdomains.com/

Web site: http://www.bluerazor.com/

Web site: http://www.bobparsons.com/

Web site: http://www.godaddy.com/

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