Anatomy of a Super Bowl ad

With 100 million expected viewers and a price tag of $2.5 million to $2.8 million for a 30-second commercial, the Super Bowl is the ultimate stage for big advertisers with big budgets. But with a handful of giants bowing out this year - FedEx, GM, and Pepsi's soft drink division among them - smaller firms have a chance to turn some heads.

GoDaddy.com used to be one of those firms. Five years ago, the relatively unknown Internet domain name registrar controlled a modest 16 percent of the market. That didn't sit well with founder and CEO Bob Parsons, who laid out a brand-new marketing campaign. His first move? Put together a Super Bowl spot.

Here's a look at how one firm used the hype of the Super Bowl to launch its brand, and how it impacted the company's future.

By Marino Eccher, Boston.com Correspondent

(Photo by Ad Store)
With 100 million expected viewers and a price tag of $2.5 million to $2.8 million for a 30-second commercial, the Super Bowl is the ultimate stage for big advertisers with big budgets. But with a handful of giants bowing out this year - FedEx, GM, and Pepsi's soft drink division among them - smaller firms have a chance to turn some heads. GoDaddy.com used to be one of those firms. Five years ago, the relatively unknown Internet domain name registrar controlled a modest 16 percent of the market. That didn't sit well with founder and CEO Bob Parsons, who laid out a brand-new marketing campaign. His first move? Put together a Super Bowl spot. Here's a look at how one firm used the hype of the Super Bowl to launch its brand, and how it impacted the company's future. By Marino Eccher, Boston.com Correspondent