• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, January 8, 2015

Initiative, part of IPG Mediabrands, has been selected as the media buying agency-of-record for tech giant GoDaddy, which manages more than 58 million domain names for over 12 million customers. The company spends an estimated $40 million to $50 million a year on ads in the U.S.

The award was made after a formal review. There was no incumbent, as the client previously handled buying chores in house.

In addition to executing buys for the client, Initiative will manage brand media strategy, video investment and analytics for the company, known by many for the provocative Super Bowl spots it has aired in the past.

In November, GoDaddy confirmed that it would be in the 2015 Super Bowl with a 30-second spot featuring “an adorable little puppy” and long-time celebrity spokeswoman and race car driver Danica Patrick..The spot was created by ad shop Barton F Graf 9000.

“We’ve always been about pushing the boundaries of what is possible for our customers and working with a partner like Initiative allows us to break new ground in reaching new customers efficiently and effectively,” said GoDaddy CMO Barb Rechterman. “We work with agencies that 'get us' and understand who we are here to serve. With Initiative on our team, we can better target potential customers wherever they are and however they may be consuming video,” she added.

“GoDaddy’s stated mission is to radically shift the global economy toward small business and we are ready to help them achieve that goal,” said Peter Mears, president, Initiative North America.

This story has been updated with an ad spending estimate and details about GoDaddy's 2015 Super Bowl commercial.