Ultimately, the aim of advertising agencies is to sell products, and their methods often depend on their level of creativity. Sometimes, advertisers opt for outrageous tactics to grab people’s attention. Occasionally, this approach goes too far, resulting in commercials being outright banned. If they do air, they might only be shown in certain regions, as what is considered cheeky in one part of the world might be too risqué in another. Here are 10 banned and controversial commercials that are also quite funny.
10. Soesman Language Training
Have you ever been in a group where everyone is speaking a language you don’t understand? It can make you paranoid, wondering if they’re making fun of you or laughing at your ignorance. If you haven’t felt that way before, you might after watching this 1999 advertisement from the Netherlands for Soesman Language Training. The language used in the video is quite explicit, comparable to that of an HBO show, making it unsuitable for airing in English-speaking countries. It’s a shame, though, because the song in the ad is really catchy.
9. Nissan
Actress Kim Cattrall, with nearly 90 acting credits, is best known for her role as the bold and sexually assertive Samantha Jones in “Sex and the City.” When she appeared in a Nissan ad set to air in New Zealand, her use of subtle innuendos aligned with her on-screen persona. Although Cattrall’s comments were not explicitly dirty and merely involved double-entendres, the ad received numerous complaints, leading the national advertising board in New Zealand to pull it.
8. Zazoo Condoms
Parents often describe their children as absolute miracles, yet they also admit that kids can sometimes be quite challenging. In moments of passion, people rarely consider that those few minutes of fun could result in a difficult child eight years later. A banned Belgian commercial for Zazoo Condoms cleverly highlights this connection. It suggests that while the fear of contracting a deadly or life-altering disease is significant, the prospect of raising a troublesome child can be equally daunting. This gives a whole new meaning to the term “life sentence.”
7. Six Nations Rugby Championship
In sports rivalries, it’s great when your team wins, but it’s almost sweeter when your rival loses. This sentiment was captured perfectly in the promotional video for the 2012 Six Nations Championship rugby tournament. Rugby fans from Ireland, Wales, and Scotland were asked who they wanted to see lose in the tournament, and they all unanimously chose England. The BBC pulled the clip, fearing it might be perceived as anti-English. A re-cut version was later aired, featuring English fans discussing who they hoped would lose, but it didn’t have the same impact as the original.
6. Rolling Rock
This 2003 commercial for Rolling Rock beer embraces an action movie sequel vibe, depicting men getting hit in the crotch with the philosophy that more is better. Unlike many action sequels, this commercial successfully delivers on its ambitious scope. The ad centers around a baseball that defies the laws of physics, targeting men’s groins like a heat-seeking missile. Originally slated to air during the Super Bowl, it was ultimately banned. Interestingly, it wasn’t the excessive nut shots that led to the ban, but rather the final imagery, which the censors found too phallic. Because, of course, people weren’t already thinking about penises before the end of the commercial.
5. Smart Beep
Why does it always seem like you have to pass gas on a first date? The silver lining is the incredible relief you feel when you finally get a few moments to yourself to “steam press” your Levi’s. In this 1999 ad, a woman experiences that brief moment of bliss, only to be quickly horrified when she realizes she’s not alone in the car.
This ad was deemed too crude to air during the Super Bowl, which was broadcast on Fox that year. Ironically, Fox is home to shows like Family Guy, The Simpsons, and the quintessential crude sitcom, Married…with Children. Yet, they decided a fart joke was too inappropriate to play during breaks in a football game.
4. Hyundai
This 1999 commercial from Sweden primarily aired in Europe, as it would have been considered too taboo for more conservative markets, despite being relatively tame by today’s standards. The ad features a woman trying to conceal an affair from her husband, only to discover he has a surprising secret of his own.
Although it only aired in Europe, it became quite popular within the gay community. In 2001, users of Gay.com and Planetout.com voted it the “Gayest Commercial of All-Time.”
3. For Goodness Shakes
In 2013, UK-based protein drink maker For Goodness Shakes created an ad highlighting the awkwardness of shaking your own drink in public. While promoting a healthy drink that doesn’t require shaking, the ad also served as a humorous reminder to be mindful of facial expressions during actions that could be easily misconstrued. However, not everyone appreciated the humor. After receiving a single complaint, an advertising watchdog group reviewed the commercial and concluded that it could potentially offend a large group of people, leading to its removal. For Goodness Shakes didn’t voluntarily pull the ad themselves.
2. Snickers
This 2007 ad, featuring two men accidentally sharing an intimate moment over a Snickers bar, aired during Super Bowl XLI but was pulled after receiving complaints. Surprisingly, the backlash wasn’t about two men kissing during the Super Bowl. Instead, gay rights groups took issue with the ending, where the men feel compelled to do something “manly.” In the TV ads, they rip out their chest hair, and on the website, there was an ad where they attack each other. Gay rights groups argued that the ad promoted anti-gay bullying, squandering a funny and progressive premise in seconds. It seems the ad creators might have needed a Snickers bar themselves, and the ending was perhaps the idea of someone acting like Archie Bunker.
1. Ikea
Ikea produced a series of five darkly humorous ads targeting messy and disorganized individuals. These ads were primarily shown across Europe and saw limited play elsewhere. Some of the ads feature scenarios like a woman losing her baby in her clutter, a young man accidentally killing his date due to a fork hidden in the couch, and a child discovering a poorly hidden sex toy. While quite dark, the ads strike a chord of realism for those familiar with living in complete disarray.
