When Big Companies Get Called Out For Their Offensive Ads

10 incendiary ads that forced public apologies out of major brands.

Pepsi

Pepsi

Pepsi Max ads via Germany, approved by the client.
Suicide is never a good look for a brand.
Great illustrations, though.
Pepsi issued statements saying the ads would never run again.

Ford

Ford

Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and three of his Bunga Bunga girls, bound and gagged.

The campaign (the 2nd ad featured bound and gagged Kardashian sister caricatures) was never "publicized," but, the ad agency (JWT, New Delhi) put them on the internet. Ford not only knew about them, but approved them to be entered into India's biggest awards show competition.

First the ad agency and then Ford apologized, saying, "We are reviewing approval and oversight processes to help ensure nothing like this ever happens again."

Burger King

Burger King

The ad was only publicized in Singapore, but on the internet, Singapore is the world. BK's corporate office had to come forward and disavow the ad because of its...unseemly connotations.

OREO

OREO

The ad was only produced in South Korea (by Oreo's official ad agency there, Cheil. But again: the internet doesn't have borders. The edgy execution caused a ruckus, forcing Kraft USA to officially say they had nothing to do with the ad.

Via: buzzfeed.com


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