Saturday, September 17, 2005
GO DADDY!
Company: GoDaddy.com
Ad: Testimonials - Sep 2005
Market: USA
Product: Domain Registrar
Agency: GoDaddy Productions
Year: 2005
Link: http://www.godaddy.com/gdshop/superbowl05/landing.asp?se=%2B
Verdict: 6.5 out of 10
=======================================
I was surfing for setting up a domain name so I looked at many providers' web pages. Most of them had the corporate website look. Until I stumbled upon www.godaddy.com ....
Go Daddy had something irreverent yet appealing about it. It is obvious from the home page. It is not only the special offers that approach you from all angles. Nor is it the silly logo on the top left corner. Is it the Radio Go daddy on the left? Or is it the owner's blog on the top? Or is it the immediate link to their TV advertising and the invitation to viewers to comment? Now that is a holistic multimedia experience worthy of attention!
Go Daddy was founded in 1997 by Bob Parson, whose weblog http://www.bobparsons.com/ tackles a variety of entertaining topics and opinions on current events. The private company claims to be the largest domain registrar worldwide, a feat it attributes to its attractive pricing and excellent customer service.
I will not attempt to review the web page or other media vehicles. I will concentrate as usual to the TV ads. However, I will reserve judgment for the time being on the Go Daddy girl ads, and the "celebrity status" of the heroine. Instead, I will review only the testimonial campaign of several ads prepared in Sept 2005.
The campaign is solid and consistent. Each spot presents the story of individual entrepreneurs from diverse industries that promote the ease of setting up their website via Go Daddy and the excellent customer service they have received. I appreciate the variety of personalities and companies presented - Go Daddy has well selected them to appeal to a broad potential future clientele. This variety and at the same time the individual achievements or hopes of those presented, illustrate marketing savvy in terms of knowing precisely who your desired target audience is.
Executionally, testimonials are among the most difficult ads created. One relies on the authenticity and reality of the personality shown. I believe these testimonials are very well crafted with the right balance of original testimonials and "company speak". The fact that they are created in-house by Go Daddy Productions, deserves even more praise.
There is realism and "down-to-earth" character in them. They showcase real people with aspirations. They celebrate their hard work, their sometimes imaginative spirit. Thanks to Go Daddy, their products or services are accessible to the whole world. There is something greatly appealing here for every Joe Doe. And that is the secret power of a testimonial campaign, when done well. These may not be the most attractive spots to watch, but they have enduring values.
As an afterthought, this campaign serves as testament to the "American Dream" - anyone can make it. It takes less than $10 to get started. This is a celebration of Americana at its best. After all, the flag on Bob Parsons website does not hide the price of a self-made achiever!
Evaluation:
In following our standard evaluation methodology:
The ads are easily understandable, are relevant to the desired target audience, and are sufficiently credible and persuasive. Branding is very obvious. The executions as testimonials cannot break out of the norm in terms of ownability, distinctiveness, memorability or engagingness. However, they deliver sufficient realism to bring the web to the masses and continue making Go Daddy a fast growing internet company!
Detailed Score: 6.5 out of 10
1. Understandable: H
2. Relevant: H
3. Credible: H
4. Persuasive: M
5. Well-branded: H
6. Ownable: M
7. Distinctive: M
8. Memorable: M
9. Engaging: L
10. Makes Me Buy: M
My only advice: Drop the "girl" ads - they are only a gimmick, attention grabbers, with no link to the core Go Daddy values. Feel secure in your equity to continue only with the testimonials in the future. Go Daddy!
G. Evans
Sep 2005
Ad: Testimonials - Sep 2005
Market: USA
Product: Domain Registrar
Agency: GoDaddy Productions
Year: 2005
Link: http://www.godaddy.com/gdshop/superbowl05/landing.asp?se=%2B
Verdict: 6.5 out of 10
=======================================
I was surfing for setting up a domain name so I looked at many providers' web pages. Most of them had the corporate website look. Until I stumbled upon www.godaddy.com ....
Go Daddy had something irreverent yet appealing about it. It is obvious from the home page. It is not only the special offers that approach you from all angles. Nor is it the silly logo on the top left corner. Is it the Radio Go daddy on the left? Or is it the owner's blog on the top? Or is it the immediate link to their TV advertising and the invitation to viewers to comment? Now that is a holistic multimedia experience worthy of attention!
Go Daddy was founded in 1997 by Bob Parson, whose weblog http://www.bobparsons.com/ tackles a variety of entertaining topics and opinions on current events. The private company claims to be the largest domain registrar worldwide, a feat it attributes to its attractive pricing and excellent customer service.
I will not attempt to review the web page or other media vehicles. I will concentrate as usual to the TV ads. However, I will reserve judgment for the time being on the Go Daddy girl ads, and the "celebrity status" of the heroine. Instead, I will review only the testimonial campaign of several ads prepared in Sept 2005.
The campaign is solid and consistent. Each spot presents the story of individual entrepreneurs from diverse industries that promote the ease of setting up their website via Go Daddy and the excellent customer service they have received. I appreciate the variety of personalities and companies presented - Go Daddy has well selected them to appeal to a broad potential future clientele. This variety and at the same time the individual achievements or hopes of those presented, illustrate marketing savvy in terms of knowing precisely who your desired target audience is.
Executionally, testimonials are among the most difficult ads created. One relies on the authenticity and reality of the personality shown. I believe these testimonials are very well crafted with the right balance of original testimonials and "company speak". The fact that they are created in-house by Go Daddy Productions, deserves even more praise.
There is realism and "down-to-earth" character in them. They showcase real people with aspirations. They celebrate their hard work, their sometimes imaginative spirit. Thanks to Go Daddy, their products or services are accessible to the whole world. There is something greatly appealing here for every Joe Doe. And that is the secret power of a testimonial campaign, when done well. These may not be the most attractive spots to watch, but they have enduring values.
As an afterthought, this campaign serves as testament to the "American Dream" - anyone can make it. It takes less than $10 to get started. This is a celebration of Americana at its best. After all, the flag on Bob Parsons website does not hide the price of a self-made achiever!
Evaluation:
In following our standard evaluation methodology:
The ads are easily understandable, are relevant to the desired target audience, and are sufficiently credible and persuasive. Branding is very obvious. The executions as testimonials cannot break out of the norm in terms of ownability, distinctiveness, memorability or engagingness. However, they deliver sufficient realism to bring the web to the masses and continue making Go Daddy a fast growing internet company!
Detailed Score: 6.5 out of 10
1. Understandable: H
2. Relevant: H
3. Credible: H
4. Persuasive: M
5. Well-branded: H
6. Ownable: M
7. Distinctive: M
8. Memorable: M
9. Engaging: L
10. Makes Me Buy: M
My only advice: Drop the "girl" ads - they are only a gimmick, attention grabbers, with no link to the core Go Daddy values. Feel secure in your equity to continue only with the testimonials in the future. Go Daddy!
G. Evans
Sep 2005
