Controversy creates cash

So it is with some degree of self-satisfaction that I read in Ad Age that GoDaddy’s “banned ad” approach is working.

This tickles my fancy because it’s almost exactly the same thing I suggested NUVO do with some radio ads about how its redesign will “blow your mind”.

The formula here is pretty simple:

  1. Create a tasteless ad that will never pass muster with standards and practices
  2. After that ad is rejected, post it to your website
  3. Run a barebones ad that says “We wanted to use this space to show you something very creative and edgy but the freakin’ suits wouldn’t let us, so you’ll have to go to our website to check it out.”

It’s not rocket surgery.