It’s that time again.
It’s now that time of year where we need to start seriously thinking about whether Go Daddy will advertise during the upcoming SuperBowl. SuperBowl XL will take place on February 5th, 2006 in Detroit.

SuperBowl XL will be broadcast by ABC (at least in the United States) and will be announced by Al Michaels and John Madden. As far as the football is concerned, it might even be a good game.

Advertising on SuperBowl XL should be a bore.
I predict, however, that the advertising this year will be a bore. And that’s a shame because many of us, particularly those of us who are not football fans, watch the game only to see the commercials – and to have a good laugh.

Why I think the ads will be boring.
Why do I think the ads on SuperBowl XL will be a bore? Well, it has to do with what happened during last year’s SuperBowl, and what Go Daddy has thus far experienced with the censors at ABC.

What happened last year.
As I hope you know, last year Go Daddy purchased spots for two advertisements during SuperBowl XXXIX, which took place on February 6, 2005. Our ads were to air, one in the first quarter and one during the final two minute warning. We intended to run the same ad twice. When the ad appeared the first time, during the 1st quarter of the game, it attracted the ire of an NFL executive.

After seeing our ad, the NFL executive became visibly upset and summoned representatives from FoxSports to the NFL booth. Together, these guardians of all that is right and proper, decided that our ad would not be allowed to be aired a second time. No one at Go Daddy was informed of this decision.

Showing a baby being stabbed was better than showing our commercial a 2nd time.
When it became time for our ad to air the second time, myself and other Go Daddy employees were instead amazed to see a commercial advertising an upcoming episode of The Simpsons (The Simpson’s commercial they chose actually showed a baby being stabbed – somehow to them that was more fitting). Our ad was not shown a second time.

I was very happy with the settlement.
As you can imagine, when we learned what happened, we put our attorney immediately in touch with FoxSports. We settled the matter the following week, and while I cannot disclose specifics, I can say I was very pleased with the settlement.

There’s now a new term – it’s GoDaddyEsque!
As a carryover from that entire fiasco — every TV ad that has since been aired and been considered edgy has been described at GoDaddyEsque. When showing those edgy ads, our SuperBowl ad usually is also shown — now that it’s been inducted into the Hall of Fame for TV Ads that go too far.

The NFL is now more vigilant than ever!
The end result is that the NFL is now more vigilant than ever with regard to the advertising content they will allow during the Big Game. They want to make the SuperBowl a family event. I think this is wrong thinking and I’ll tell you why in just a bit.

Every one of our ads have been rejected by ABC.
First, I want to tell you another reason why I think the TV ads on SuperBowl XL will be the most boring ever. This has got to do with the censors that screen the ads that are allowed to appear on ABC. So far, Go Daddy has had every one of its advertisements rejected by ABC – every single one of them. Here’s an ad by ad list of the reasons they’ve given us:

• Paparazzi – Rejected because the commercial uses the word “blackmail” in the punch line.
• Biker – Rejected because Candice is leaning back on a motorcycle.
• Disc Jockey – Rejected because the DJ says the term “bang, bang, banana pants!”
• Caterer – Rejected because they didn’t like the way the $3.99 offer is presented.

Here’s how to see any of our commercials.
To see any of our commercials, including our now infamous SuperBowl commercial, just click on the following link. www.godaddy.com/gdshop/superbowl05/landing.asp

I would think that you’d agree with me that by disallowing all of our advertisements, the ABC censors are on the conservative side of ridiculous.

The NFL is making a big mistake.
Now here’s why I think the NFL is making a big mistake by trying to make the SuperBowl a family event. In short, it’s because we as a people want certain things to be reserved for adults, instead of the entire family.

Let’s consider Las Vegas.
To illustrate my point, I ask that you consider Las Vegas. More so than any other city in our country, Las Vegas has the reputation of being the ultimate playground for adults. This was the case until sometime after gambling became legal in Atlantic City. At that time, the powers to be in Las Vegas made the decision that they would turn Las Vegas into a place for the entire family.

Las Vegas should never have tried to be a family destination.
It took about ten years for Las Vegas to learn that that’s not why people came to Las Vegas. If adults wanted a family atmosphere, they wouldn’t go to Las Vegas, they would go to a family-oriented place like Disney World or Six Flags Over Wherever. The adults who came to Las Vegas for the adult getaway spent many times more than those who came there to entertain the family.

Las Vegas is back on track.
Once they figured who their important customers really were, Las Vegas got back on track — and the city has completely moved away from trying to be a family-oriented destination. A number of the major casinos (particularly the new Wynn Resort and The Bellagio) now do not even permit strollers on their premises.

“What happens in Las Vegas….”The TV commercials for Las Vegas have also changed. They no longer talk about the fun the whole family will have. Instead the slogan has been changed to“What happens in Las Vegas stays in Las Vegas.” In effect, Las Vegas woke up.

The NFL could learn from Las Vegas.
The point of this is that Las Vegas realized who their real customers are and is projecting the image they want those visitors to see. I think the NFL could learn a major lesson here.

The SuperBowl is not a family event.
I personally believe that it’s a mistake to make the SuperBowl a family event. To me, that makes about as much sense as making Desperate Housewives a family show. That’s not why viewers watch these shows (and like it or not the SuperBowl is a TV show). They watch them for adult level entertainment.

I’m not saying that the SuperBowl should be pornographic. In fact, no show on network TV should even approach that. However, there was nothing wrong with the old, and maybe gone forever commercials, like the flatulent horse and crotch biting dog, that gave all of us a good laugh. And there was nothing whatsoever wrong with Go Daddy's SuperBowl commercial.

The SuperBowl is for adults.
When we have SuperBowl parties, the get togethers are for the adults – not the kids. During those parties that I’ve been to where kids also come along with their parents, there’s always been a separate TV provided for the kids that has either a DVD or other programming appropriate and interesting to a child.

I personally would like to see the SuperBowl get back to the way it used to be — before Janet Jackson did the half-time show that rocked network television. I think we’d all be better for it.

It will be hard for Go Daddy to get an ad approved for SuperBowl XL.
As for whether Go Daddy will advertise during SuperBowl XL, I can only say that we haven’t decided. That said, it doesn’t look good. Both ABC and the NFL don’t seem to care for our method of advertising. So even if we decide to purchase ad space, the likelihood that the ad will be approved seems bleak.

There’s also the fact that ads for SuperBowl XL will be the most expensive ever. To this, also consider that an event that was famous for having edgy and hilarious advertisements, seems like it is now going to be a boring non-event. On the other hand, the kids should be able to watch.