Lyn Slater, the 65-year-old professor who became the fashion world's "Accidental Icon" after her photo was snapped during New York Fashion Week. Food entrepreneur Ayesha Curry (and better half of NBA star Stephen Curry). Electropop artist and mental health advocate Elohim. Sustainable florist Paloma Teppa. These diverse women are among the faces of GoDaddy's new campaign, "Make the World You Want." And they're a far cry from the scantily-clad Super Bowl caricatures that helped to put the brand on the map more than a decade ago.
The campaign continues the brand's steady push over the last few years to target its marketing more tactically to a diverse base of consumers with different needs, highlighting the various tools GoDaddy offers while promoting a message of empowerment.
"When you crave change in society, make it happen," the voiceover in the spot says. "Don't stop for people who don't understand your vision… You've got the power. We've got the tools. Make the world you want and share it with everyone."
"Our last five or six years have been a steady pivot," says GoDaddy Chief Brand Officer Cameron Scott. The company now serves around 18 million customers in 50 markets and has expanded its platform of products, which include website and e-commerce creation, email marketing, SEO and social media engagement. As GoDaddy has evolved, so, too has the way it talks to its customers.
While the Super Bowl had helped for brand awareness, the company's approach to speaking to consumers now needs to be more sophisticated, Scott says. "Advertising in the Super Bowl is such a monolithic approach to reaching what is now a highly fragmented audience," he says. "That may still work well for beer or chips, but if you're tapping into a global dialogue and want to say something of substance, there are better ways to do that now."
The new effort was created by GoDaddy's internal team and kicks off with the anthem spot debuting tomorrow on E! and on digital channels.
While women feature prominently, the ad also stars some entrepreneurial dudes. There's Tyson Toussant, founder of sustainable textiles company Bionic, and Dan Peterson, who enlists artists to transform run-down basketball courts into beautiful and safe community spaces.
Scott says all those featured in the campaign were selected not just for their sizable followings, but because they are real GoDaddy customers who have helped to influence cultural conversation with their passions. They'll also star in their own ads rolling over the next six months, tied to relevant big-ticket moments. GoDaddy plans to debut Slater's spot, for example, around New York Fashion Week while Elohim's will air sometime around the Grammys. The ads were directed by Dave Ruiz out of Junction Films.
The company hopes the pull and stories of the influencers featured will help its message resonate broadly and endure. "We're not trying to do a big flash in the pan," Scott says. "We want to spark conversations with their communities and get people talking."
