by Shaeffer Smith

Every year I look forward to the commercials more than the actual Super Bowl itself. I’m always impressed by Doritos’s commercials and anything with a male model sticks in my mind when I’m out shopping (Calvin Klein). But there is one company that makes me almost dread the entire experience – GoDaddy.com.

It all started two years ago when my family and I were faced with a commercial that featured half-naked women telling viewers to visit GoDaddy.com to find out more. Being sixteen, with my whole family, and enjoying a nice bowl of chili, I was extremely uncomfortable with the whole situation. Since then, I’ve been dreading ever seeing another commercial from GoDaddy.

This year did not fail to disappoint. GoDaddy went at it again, making an overly sexual commercial to sell websites – WEBSITES! Super Bowl XLVII’s GoDaddy commercial featured model Bar Rafaeli and a “nerdy” teenage boy. Danica Patrick, GoDaddy’s gorgeous spokeswoman, proceeded to tell us how Rafaeli was the sexy outside of GoDaddy while the boy was the smart, technological inside. Then, for some reason, she referred to them as “the perfect match” which meant they had to kiss, against everyone’s wishes. Unfortunately, it wasn’t just a peck on the lips, it was full-on making out. Then, for like 20 seconds, the camera zoomed in on them making out, tongue included. It was the most uncomfortable thing I’ve ever had to witness, especially with my older and younger family members around.

Upon further investigation, I found that it really started in a 2005 commercial with a mock censorship trial and a beautiful, big-breasted woman defending GoDaddy’s mission – which is what? I don’t ever remember hearing what GoDaddy.com really is because I’m so distracted by the inappropriateness of the actual commercial. GoDaddy.com sounds like a porn site, but it is actually a website to build a web page for your business. It seems like they have a lot of great features for a great price, but do they really need to convey that through suggestive TV advertisements?

I get where GoDaddy is coming from; people are interested in commercials that are funny, have good-looking people and anything that suggests sex. And maybe their raunchy commercials get them traffic, I don’t know. But, in my opinion, their suggestive commercials distract from what they are actually selling to us- websites!

Aside from the fact that I don’t necessarily think these kinds of commercials are the way to sell websites, I feel that they are inappropriate for television. There may not be nudity or foul language, but it’s pretty borderline. The Super Bowl is a viewing experience for families, not just for older men, who I’m guessing are the targeted audience with these commercials.

Not trying to be dramatic, but I think something needs to be done about these commercials being played during the Super Bowl. I don’t want to, or have my siblings, see commercials like that. Sure, it’s funny. Yes, I remember it. But not for the information it gave me, just the uncomfortable look everyone in the room had.