A post that's not for the easily offended Everyone is making offensive ads these days, if only because the public is so easily offended. Creating such ads, then pulling them amid profuse apologies, has become de rigeur. (I’m not sure what de rigeur means, but it’s French and sounds classy.) Maybe the summer heat is making tempers flare, but just this past week: Mars withdrew a U.K. Snickers commercial some called homophobic; New Yorkers worried about pro-Muslim ads set for display in the city’s subways; and animal rights groups complained about a Verizon spot starring a “junkyard dog.” So, here’s a lazy summer-Friday question: What was the most offensive ad (or ad campaign) of all time—and why? Go to the comments and share. Share, damn you! Links would also be nice. Oh, if you’re wondering about my personal choice(s) ... I actually can’t afford the luxury of taking offense, since I’m so often offensive here on AdFreak. Heavy is the head, people. Hmm, I wonder if any French readers found my flippant use of de rigeur offensive. Do we have any French readers? Silly frogs. Crap, now they’ll really be offended. Jerks. —Posted by David Gianatasio

July 25, 2008 in Gianatasio | Permalink

Comments

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Honda's Mr. Opportunity.

Posted by: copyranter | Jul 25, 2008 2:19:26 PM

Colt 45 - Works Every Time!

CLASSIC!

Posted by: JSautter | Jul 25, 2008 2:32:08 PM

Friday LOL: http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2008/05/28/101-being-offended/

I remember a PSP ad that was pretty controversial because it advertised the new white PSPs by depicting a white woman overpowering a black woman.
http://kotaku.com/gaming/psp/offensive-psp-adthis-time-racist-185081.php

The public response was immediate and unrelenting. Black rights groups were outraged with Sony, and demanded its immediate retraction with an apology. Sony was under a lot of pressure, and it was taken down fairly quickly.

The kicker? That ad wasn't even for the United States. Ludicrous.

The best part? That ad is a little over two years old, and it STILL has people like me talking about it. Marketing genius.

Posted by: Mintz | Jul 25, 2008 2:40:38 PM

I'm offended by all advertising for feminine products and PMS drugs, because they portray all of my kind as typically spunky future flyover state soccer moms. Period.

Posted by: fifi | Jul 25, 2008 4:02:36 PM

The Canadian ads for the now defunct Amp'd mobile.v This was way back when TAXI was still making good ads.

Posted by: Alex | Jul 25, 2008 5:10:20 PM

Contenders:

Draftfcb Fornicating Lions Ad

This year’s campaign to launch the “new” Adweek

Bob Garfield—oh sorry, he’s the most offensive ASS, not the most offensive ad

Posted by: Don Draper | Jul 25, 2008 5:21:43 PM

5. The dating-site ads on MySpace. I feel like the bots are misreading my taste, and it hurts.

4. Calgon, take me away.

3. All the He-Man/GI Joe/Star Wars toy commercials from the 80s. Those kids had more stuff than me, a child of a Marxist family.

2. OB, nice as can be/clean and simple/set yourself free. That ridiculous jingle has been stuck in my head for years.

1. And No. 1: Juicy Fruit, the taste is going to *moon* you.

Posted by: jeff | Jul 25, 2008 5:30:55 PM

I would say that Benetton has run more "highly offensive" ads than anyone else. They've tackled everything from HIV to cancer to gay rights to world hunger and in ways that tend to invoke a very strong response from most people. Personally I don't find them (or much else for that matter) offensive, but I understand how someone would. Benetton's goal is to incite conversations about such causes and I think they hit it on the head.

http://press.benettongroup.com/ben_en/about/campaigns/list/

Posted by: Justin | Jul 25, 2008 5:58:56 PM

The BMW ad where the people swerve around someone backing out of a parking spot and laugh uproariously. WTF?

Posted by: Kate | Jul 25, 2008 8:01:13 PM

Fuck off dick-bag, de riguer is the new tre chic.

Posted by: | Jul 25, 2008 11:13:51 PM

Viagra ad with the salt and pepper husbands forming a band to sing the song "Viva Viagra." It makes you cringe to think that some poor woman is going to have to sleep with these guys.

Posted by: Amy | Jul 26, 2008 1:48:26 AM

But can anything top Japanese cellphone spot depicting Barack Obama as a monkey?

http://youtube.com/watch?v=si-lSLv9b4E

Posted by: Ad Broad | Jul 26, 2008 11:04:38 PM

You do have French readers. At least me.

And it's ok for "de rigueur".

Voilà.

Posted by: Marsellus | Jul 27, 2008 12:05:02 PM

you forgot to mention the supposedly homophobic ads that nike just pulled. i don't think ads are getting more offensive; i think people are just getting more ridiculous.

Posted by: bagadoosh | Jul 27, 2008 7:34:15 PM

you forgot to mention the supposedly homophobic ads that nike just pulled. i don't think ads are getting more offensive; i think people are just getting more ridiculous.

Posted by: bagadoosh | Jul 27, 2008 7:34:46 PM

Offensive is in the eye of the beholder. The Swedish Red Cross youth "Human rights" ads caused quite a stir in China.

Posted by: Dabitch | Jul 28, 2008 8:27:30 AM

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Posted by: celexa | Apr 15, 2009 11:09:51 AM

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Posted by: diazepam | Apr 15, 2009 11:26:59 AM

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