Puppygate: Once Again GoDaddy Risks Nothing With Super Bowl Ad Controversy

Have you heard about Puppygate? Thats what Im callingGoDaddys latest foray into advertising controversy. To many, the brand has crossed a new line, an inhumane line, a politically incorrect line with its new puppy ad produced specifically to run on the 2015 Super Bowl. Over 40,000 people signed a petition to get GoDaddy to pull the ad. What a nightmare, right? Well, no, not if youre GoDaddy.

First, heres the ad in case you havent seen it.

Controversy is part of the GoDaddy plan.

Most brands fear controversy because its inherently polarizing. We dont want to breed any haters out there, now do we? We want to appeal to as many people as possible. But, for many brands, the desire to avoid controversy results in invisibility. Yes, you succeed in not offending, but you fail at appealing to more customers.

GoDaddy understands something most brands overlook. Polarizing has two extremes, not just one. Meaning, an ad that ispolarizing isnt all bad, its just causedthe creation of two opposing views. One view, yes, is negative. The other view is not. And in the creation of these two opposing views, conversations naturally ensue. Loud, public, petition-signing, news-generating conversations.

And what is in the first sentence of every one of these conversations? Thats right, GoDaddy.

To GoDaddy, controversy seemsnot just a result of its communications, butan objective. I would not be surprised, in fact, ifGoDaddy has a line in their typical creative brief that says something like, Below please specify whothe communication will offend. Just to be sure the creative team weaves some polarizing energy into the work.

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Puppygate: Once Again GoDaddy Risks Nothing With Super Bowl Ad Controversy