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Go Daddy's Bob Parsons Brushes Off Criticism Over Elephant Killing
The outspoken entrepreneur and member of the AOL Small Business Board of Directors has been branded "Scummiest CEO of the Year" by PETA, over a hunt he says helped African villagers. He plans to hang the certificate in his office.
Posted 3/ 31 11 at 8:00 PM | News, Board of Directors, Technology, Advertising & Marketing, Leadership, International Business, Online Business
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Go Daddy founder and CEO Bob Parsons is not one to back down from a little controversy. The outspoken entrepreneur helped make his company a household name -- and the largest Internet domain registrar in the world -- with edgy Super Bowl commercials that have become perennial water-cooler fodder. Now, he finds himself in the crosshairs of the equally outspoken PETA and other animal-rights advocates over a graphic video he posted online, which depicts him shooting and killing an elephant in Zimbabwe. The video has already been viewed more than 300,000 times.Parsons, a member of the AOL Small Business Board of Directors, says he was working with tribal authorities to prevent "problem elephant" from decimating crops, legally, and that the slain elephant provided food for impoverished villagers. PETA is leading the charge against Parsons, branding him the "Scummiest CEO of the Year," canceling its Go Daddy account and encouraging others to do the same. "Instead of coming up with flimsy excuses for killing these highly intelligent and social animals, Parsons should use his wealth to fund humane solutions to human/elephant conflicts," PETA said on its website.
"Things couldn't be better," Parsons said in an interview with AOL Small Business, deflecting the criticism and noting that the hunt not only helped feed Zimbabwean villagers and protect their crops -- but that the ensuing controversy will inevitably help Go Daddy too.
It's an interesting question for entrepreneurs, who are often the public faces of their companies and run the risk of alienating customers with their personal behavior, political views and the like. Parsons, for his part, isn't too worried. His advice? Be yourself, and when controversy strikes, keep being yourself.
Well, Bob, you're always up to something. What happened here?
Here's the deal. I'll give you the whole genesis. This is the sixth year I've been to Africa. I'm a hunter. I went there to hunt buffalo. I gradually became aware of this situation with problem elephant and the need to control them. Since then, it's the only thing I do. I go over and spend two weeks volunteering to deal with problem elephant.
In Zimbabwe, elephant are not endangered. There's actually too many of them. The people there are very impoverished. The poverty is beyond our imagination. They have nothing. I'll give you an example. When I'm there, I drink bottled water so I don't get Montezuma's Revenge. One of the things the people absolutely treasure is a plastic bottle with a cap. They use it to take water to school or in the fields. That gives you an idea of how little these people have.
If they don't get a crop, they starve to death. That's the bottom line. So what I do, I'm invited by the tribal authorities there. I go there, I work with a friend of mine who lives there, we patrol the area in a truck. A farmer will get us, elephants will be tearing their crop up and our goal is to go in. The people there try to keep them away with fire, beating drums, screaming. The elephants have learned. So what it takes is for someone to go into the field while the elephants are there. The elephants storm out and they don't return. So what happens is you've got the rest of the crops saved. And you have protein for people who need it.
Why shoot and publish a video about it?
First of all, this is something that happens that I think ought to be recorded. Folks should be able to watch this years from now and say, "Look at this, this actually happened over there." In America, many of us are like ostriches -- we stick our heads in the sand and have this Pollyanna view of this. This is really the way it is. I put a warning on there that it was graphic and don't watch it if you don't have a stomach for it. I'll tell you, years from now, maybe my great grandchildren will see this and say, "This is what he did, this is how it was done." There's not that much footage of something like this.
Were you worried about any backlash?
No. Am I surprised that it amounted to what it is? When you're 60 years old, nothing really surprises you.
This is the third time I've posted a video like this, but this is the first time that this has happened. This is the first time I've gotten a letter from PETA. They told me they're sending me a certificate calling me the "Scummiest CEO of the Year." I'll tell you, if I get it, I'm framing it and putting in my office.
What disappoints me about this is that this is their best shot. I would think they would have something more intellectual or professional to say.
I'm not a member of PETA. I'm a proud carnivore, I love a good steak. But this video is still tough to watch. Some people are objecting to the fact that you played AC/DC's "Hell's Bells" and zoom in on one of the villagers wearing a Go Daddy hat during the video, like you're using this as a commercial. How do you respond?
The reason that they're wearing Go Daddy hats is that I grab whatever I have in swag and give to these guys, because they have nothing. People were saying, "Bob is promoting the company." Let me tell you, when I want to advertise, it won't be a guy with an elephant. It'll be a sexy girl dancing on a car.
I picked "Hell's Bells" because if you're in that situation with knives fighting for meat, that's about as close to Hell as you get. Am I apologetic? I'm going to do it next year.
Yeah, it is heart-wrenching. The people are sweet, they're the most wonderful people in the world. They're pretty special. So to see them in that situation, it's heart-wrenching. On the one hand, it's a great feeling to know you provided that, but on the other hand, it's sad that there's not more.
You're one of the most outspoken entrepreneurs around. That's why we like having you on our Board of Directors. Are you always comfortable just doing your thing, no apologies?
Yeah, I am. I never do what I do for the money. I never worry about quarterly earnings, I never worry about any of that. I do what I do to do a good job, to live my life the right way, to be an American. And when you do that, you're willing to stand up and speak your mind.
Do you wish more CEOs did that?
That's pretty much up to them.
Being a CEO comes with a lot of responsibility -- you're often the face of your company. And everyone's money is green. Ever worry that your personal behavior might alienate some customers and ultimately hurt the company?
Here's what I believe is going to happen. Most of the people PETA resonates with are not our customers. The second thing is that the average American realizes what is going on here. The average American has a pretty good soul. They realize people need to eat, the circle of life, they're realistic. They're not politically correct. And because of all this stuff, you're going to have more people aware of Go Daddy and our business is going to go up.
This is actually good for business?
I'll just say, lucky me. If people say it's wrong for me to benefit because our business goes up -- I didn't start it. I didn't send me a certificate.
You're somewhat of a marketing master, with your controversial Super Bowl ads and popular video blog. Is all publicity truly good publicity?
I would say, it is -- if there's a positive side to it. When I ran my first Super Bowl ad, I cannot tell you the negative comments I was swarmed with. I thought I was going to be tarred and feathered by every feminist. And our market share went from 16 percent to 25 percent. I was hearing from this small, vocal minority that moves like a tsunami. But most people see it and they step up with their wallets. So I think the deal is to not shrink from it. It takes a certain amount of backbone.
So when you're hit with a controversy...
Embrace it.
Comments (Page 1 of 36)
We'll Bob, your genius marketing sure worked with me. I'm moving all 100+ domain names currently hosted at godaddy to another registrar. I'll make sure that my money isn't in any way filtered into your pocket anymore.
good job bob finally someone with balls can feed a village forget peta they've never have been starving to death and in the future i will move my website to go daddy again GOOD JOB
Seems to me if he was trophy hunting he wouldn't let the people butcher his animal all up. He clearly did this to help people who needed it. Not only did he save crops, but he put meat on hundreds if not thousands of plates.
Parsons knew he was going to get flak over this. Ted Nugent has been angering people by hunting for almost 40 years. Yet even though it has cost him some money, look at all the benefit it does. He takes underprivileged kids from inner cities, takes them out to his ranch in Michigan, or Texas, and teaches the kids all about nature. How to fish, camp, hunt, and even how to garden. Other celebrities donate money silently, but ones who are not afraid of publicity for hunting like Jeff Foxworthy, Kid Rock, Bo Jackson, James Hatfield, etc. actually donate their time for this. What’s funny is how some celebrities know how to hunt, fish, but know nothing about camping, so Nugent has to teach them. And very few know about gardening. I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see Parsons join Nugent for a Camp for Kids two week jaunt.
Im a peta member also... People Eating Tasty Animals. Good job Bob... We spoiled Americans cannot imagine life there.. We throw away food simply because it isnt (fresh) anymore. How dare we eat yesterdays leftovers. Farming requires animal control... This is animal control... I guarantee you none of this elephant meat was thrown out because it was a day or 2 old... Im switching my domain over to GoDaddy..
PETA is for silly, vapid girls. Nobody of consequence takes them seriously.
That is your Right ,,,but the man was helping a group of people that have no guns to defend themself from an elephant that is destroying there crops and poss. there homes ,,come on people this is not down town this is in the wilds ,,, and peta puts animals before people they dont care that these people may go hungery or die under the foot of this wounderful beast ( tell me that as the damn thing is steping on your child or goring your loved one ) Bob keep up the good work and dont let peta stop you from helping people that need help
If you thing pulling business away from a US internet company is helping people in Africa or is protecting animals you are sadly mistaken.
Hunting rogue or old or sick individual animals in the local environment with local guides does more good by funneling money into the local economies than the supposedly benign photo safaris run by European based companies where the guides, supplies and food are outsourced to Europe for the "comfort" of the pampered guests.
There are non-lethal alternatives that a number of villages are using to deter the elephants from trampling crops and destroying villages. There is no need to use lethal force to end the destruction. This is just an excuse for a small man to compensate by killing a great giant of the wild. It's very sad. I hope his company suffers for his actions here.
disgusting. why didn't you (with all your money) fly supplies down there instead. your blood lust makes me sick. just goes to show, scum bags and idiots are usually in power. how sad.
PETA = People Eating Tasty Animals
peta sucks ok don't get me wrong noone wants to see animals misused. they are over the top ... hunting in Africa the usa or anywere in the world is a way of life ... ok so if you go by peta lets let the whole village starve not to harm a real food sorce for them.... lol let them spend the money they waste doing their stupid things on feeding the hungry....
this coming from the same peta that up peole naked in cages to prove their point ....
Good for you. I was planning on using Go Daddy to establish a small business web page, but that is not in the cards with this jerk. The fact that eluded to Feminist issues with his Superbowl Ad indicates to me he has Macho type ego, or at least issues with women. I suppose he helped those village children, destroying an animal that is endangered by poachers and teaching them it does well to destroy something good to get something temporary, $$$$$, his money. How he can feel good about himself thinking he did something good. He's a member of the Corporate World that leads the general public to distrust Corporations who give thier top echelon executives obscene bonus incentives which they can use on expensive things like elephant hunting safaris.
Wow, I guess it does take balls to take a high powered rifle and gun down an animal that's only crime is its looking for food coz its hungry. I just cant imagine this still goes on in the world, so sad.
I agree--this guy is an idiot. I will never use his business--never have, never will. Everything's he's doing is for one thing--money in his pocket. He is not helping villagers and not helping animals. He's a big scumbag, and hopefully people will not be ignorant and give money to this man and his business.
guess what Melanie, people eat meat. whales, elephants, dogs, squirrels, all of them. always have. always will. i will not be visiting any of your 100+ sights for being judgemental and intolerant.
If you have a personal problem with the owner of a company, then don't deal with that owner. But that doesn't mean that you should restrict yourself from doing business with an American company, does it? NO! Of course, not! Let this guy live his life as he sees fit. I'm sure that there are plenty of people who work at companies that you, Melanie, do business with that hunt, fish, sin, swear in front of children, and other "naughty" things. But the people who work at those companies are the ones who suffer when people like you sit on your high horse.
I agree with you, Melanie. I think if the CEO indicates that he's just going to do whatever, defending it by "just being himself"—whether he's on a hunting expedition or not—this shows how he will treat his customers in the long run. His ego makes the decisions and seems to care very little about the vast swath of consumers he may or may not offend. I'd rather do business with a company who has a proven track record plus executive management that acts with civility and acumen.
Wow....What a challenge to shoot a elaphant. I bet he had to take marksmanship lessons to be able to do that.
This guy is nothing but a chicken***t scumbag.
He did it to feed the villagers....Give me a break!! He gets his rocks killing innocent(intelligent)animals.
Hey bob....I've got an idea. Why don't you go to alaska armed with nothing more than a knife, and go on a Grizzly bear hunt. At least the animal has a chance at ridding the world of yet another peice of you know what, that just happened to be in the right place at the right time and got rich.
That this fool thinks killing an endangered animal is a good thing to do is horrible. Why couldn't he be a real hero and relocate the animal? Why couldn't he fly in a few thousand pounds food--other than meat to feed these people? Why does he have to prove he's man enough to use a high powered rifle on a defenseless animal? Because he's a pathetic excuse for a real MAN and I am dumping Go Daddy, as is everyone I see on facebook.