Arizona’s GoDaddy returning to Super Bowl TV ad game

PHOENIX — After an amicable breakup, web-hosting giant GoDaddy is getting back together with the Super Bowl.

The Scottsdale-based company announced Thursday that it was putting together a TV commercial to appear during the big game’s broadcast.

The company said the commercial would be a 30-second spot, “using humor to promote” a yet-to-be-identified product.

GoDaddy sat out this year’s Super Bowl 50, ending a run of controversial but mostly well-received ads that began airing in 2005. Many of the humorous ads featured racecar driver Danica Patrick and other attractive women wearing suggestive clothing.

Marketing news site AdAge estimated that Bob Parsons’ firm saved nearly $5 million in ad buying and however millions it would have cost to create the ad.

Bowing out was part of CEO Blake Irving’s strategic plans that took the company in a different direction in advertising. GoDaddy turned to targeting smaller businesses.

The ads that run during the NFL championships game draw worldwide attention and command millions of dollar apiece. Half-minute commercials for the 2016 game reached a record $5 million, CNBC reported.

GoDaddy’s last Super Bowl commercial outraged so many it was pulled from online, where it previewed.

The ad spoofed the touching Budweiser commercials involving dogs. This ad, however, sent pet advocates and dog lovers into an uproar when Buddy the puppy was bought online. People on social media were upset that the ad approved of puppy mills and disreputable breeders.

More than 40,000 signatures were collected at an online petition to have it taken down.

GoDaddy’s new ad was scheduled to shoot in January. Super Bowl LI was set for Feb. 5 in Houston.

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