In a world full of marketing clutter, some ad agencies argue that the best way to get your product noticed is to be as offensive as possible.
This can come be achieved in many ways, from being grotesque to sexist. The important thing to remember is to retain that shock inducing quality that will get someone to feel an emotional connection to your ad. Sometimes that means taking the risk you could induce severe anger or nausea.
This slideshow represents some of best of the worst in advertising, from missing limbs to re-edited porn clips.
17 Examples of Offensive PR
14
Poorly Placed Advertising
American Ad Bloopers
13
Offensive Advertising Mistakes
Mega Logo Blunders
12
Pushing Gross Packaging
New Images on U.K. Cigarette Packs
11
12 Sexist Axe Advertisements
10
Scandalous Beer Commercials
Is Guinness 'Good Times' Sexist, Indecent, or Both?
9
Sexist Ads To Appeal to Men
Axe Cottage Ads
8
Sexist Ads
Pretty Women as Shoe Brushes
7
Radical Advertising
Provocative Exhibit About Advertising (Adbusters, Banksy, LaChapelle)
6
Skinned Animals as Advertising
Skinless Argentina 2008 Shows The Other Part of a Fur Coat
5
Murder Realism as Advertising
Print Campaign for '13th Street Murders'
4
Share Burgers
BK Six Pack + Sexist Commercial
3
Bloody Urinals as Advertising
Dexter Guerrilla Campaign
2
Grossvertising
Extended Stay Glamorizes Flatulence
1
When Bad Ads Attack
Biopiscinas
Related Ideas
Nostalgic Winter Intimates Campaigns
SKIMS' Holiday Campaign Was Inspired by Vintage Magazines
Fabulous Fashion Ad Campaigns
The Balmain Spring 2024 Ad Campaign Features Gisele Bündchen
Playful Pet Accident Campaigns
IKEA Unveils the Don't Worry, You Can Afford It Campaign
Aggressive Athlete Ads
Nike Launches the Winning Isn’t for Everyone Campaign
AI-Generated Ketchup Ads
Heinz Designed an Advertisement Using the Slogan 'It has to be Heinz'
Sneaker-Stealing Campaigns
Rob It To Get It by Distance Challenged Customers to Outrun a Sprinter
Anti-Consumption Natural Ads
The 'Girls Just Wanna Grow Plants' Ad Aims to Reducing Consumption
Vibrant Footwear Retro Campaigns
Jack Grealish Stars in the Latest PUMA Palermo Campaign
AI-Lead Car Ads
Ford Launched an AI Campaign Dubbed 'Be Surreal, Be Ford'
Halloween-Inspired Pretzel Campaigns
Snyder’s of Hanover Debuts the 'Pretzelface' Campaign
Ingenious De-Influencing Ads
Cuyana's De-Influencing April Fool's Campaign Highlights Greenwashing
Expansive Pride Month Initiatives
The Latest Primark Pride Collection and Campaign are Inclusive
Film-Inspired Condiment Ads
GUT New York Forms the Heinz Smiles Campaign to Celebrate Joker 2
Beer-Pouring Party Billboards
JUBEL Made a Billboard That Pours Pints Invites People in to Party
Hug-Inspired Olympics Campaigns
Coca-Cola's Summer Olympics Campaign was Inspired by True Events
Ketchup Dispenser Billboards
'Smack for Heinz' Helps Fans Complete Meals with a Favorite Condiment
Athlete-Backed Shoe Campaigns
Nike Released Awaken Your Madness with International Soccer Players
Naturalistic Taco Stand Campaigns
Coca-Cola Launched a Street Photography Campaign in Norway
Distorted Burger Campaigns
Burger King's A.I.LLOWEEN Features Unsettling People Eating Burgers
Empowering Body-Confidence Sports Ads
Dove's 2024 Super Bowl Ad Will Inspire Young Girls
Non-AI Beauty Campaigns
The Code by Dove Fights Beauty Standards Manufactured by AI
Illustrative 420 Campaigns
Vizie Unveils His Latest Work for Grassroots' 420 Campaign
In-Game Billboard Advertising
Gameloft Enables Partners to Advertise Natively in its Games
Reactive Fan-Based Football Campaigns
Coors Light Launched a New 'Coors Light Coors Light' Spot
Sporty Fashion Spring Campaigns
adidas Originals Introduces the 1000 Back Campaign
Hug-Activated Marketing Machines
UNIQLO France and The Pull Launch the Hug to Unlock Ad
Employee Fragrance Campaigns
Lidl's Fragrance Campaign Features Local Talent with Celebrity Names
Athletic Apparel Interactive Billboards
Gymshark Unveils the Shoplift Campaign Ahead of Sale
Creative Play Pop-Ups
The Sharpie Studio Offered Opportunities for Creativity at SXSW
QSR Menu Billboard Campaigns
Burger King Shows Real Burger Sizes with Real Size Campaigns
Candid Furniture Campaigns
Life is Not an IKEA Catalog Shows a Different Side of Home Products
Curious Whiskey Campaigns
Four Roses' Don't Mention It Campaign Targets Younger Whiskey Drinkers
Collossal Crocodile Campaigns
The Lacoste 'Play Big' Campaign Features Artists and Athletes
Gen Z-Centric Campaigns
Urban Outfitters' Shift Happens Campaign Has Three Phases
Convention-Challenging AC Campaigns
Samsung's WindFree Ad Stars a Savvy Grandma-Fluencer
Naughty Holiday Campaigns
Diesel's XXXMas is Inspired by Erotic 90s Aesthetics
Provocative AR Campaigns
NotCo's 'Not So Happy Animals' Presents Food Logos in a New Light
Gen Alpha Marketing Campaigns
Claire's is Targeting TikTok Growth for its Latest Ads Spending
Unretouched Photography Books
Dove Reimagine Beauty Celebrates Authentic Representation
Influencer-Inspired Ads
Tomcat's Ad Shows an Influencer Mouse with a Fatal Unboxing Twist
Glitchy Beer Cans
Coors Light Created a Special-Edition Beer Can Based on a Viral Moment
Young Travellers-Targeting Campaigns
Progressive Insurance Has Introduced a New Campaign
Craveable Soda Packaging
Sprite is Reviving Its Obey Your Thirst Campaign for a New Generation
Fantastical Hyper-Utility Fashion Liness
Outlier's Fall 2024 is Titled IDEAS 7 - Dirty Dirty Jobs
Gen Z-Focused Personal Care
Kiehl's New 'Pubic Service Announcement' Campaign Taps Ilana Glazer
Nudist-Themed Sporty Fashion Campaigns
PUMA and NOAH Join Forces on a New Collection
Playful Retail Pop-Up Installations
Selfridges Unveils the Joke Shop with a Slapstick Generator
Cross-Category Refreshment Campaigns
Sprite and Pringles Hot Have Teamed Up for a New Campaign
Therapeutic Nature-Inspired Campaigns
Craghoppers Introduces Its Autumn/winter 2024 Campaign
Futuristic Shapewear Ads
Skims' First-Ever TV Ad, Skims Lab, Stars Kim Kardashian in Every Role
Modern Tissue Brand Makeovers
Turner Duckworth Redesigns the Kleenex Branding Aesthetic
Cheeky Tequila Campaigns
Pantalones Organic Tequila Reprises an Iconic Matthew McConaughey Role
Indulgent Vodka Seltzers
PLAY HARD Seltzers Speak to a New Generation of Style & Flavor Seekers
Creativity Time Capsules
Crayola's Campaign for Creativity Reunites Adults with Childhood Art
Scented Fast Food Billboards
McDonald's Set Up a French Fry-Scented Billboard
Graffiti-Painted Beer Packaging
1664 x André Saraiva Debut a New Vibrant Collaboration
AI-Powered QSR Campaigns
allplants Leverages AI To Transforms Fast-Food Ads
Smile-Reflecting Toothpaste Campaigns
Colgate & Oglivy Create the #FreeYourSmile campaign
Shoppable CPG Ads
Instacart-Powered Shoppable Video Ads are Coming to YouTube
Confetti-Filled Snacking Commercials
Frito-Lay Launches the Taste of Super Bowl Campaign
Empowering Self-Care Pizza Ads
Domino's New Ad Encourages Women to Give into Their Cravings
AI Radio Hosts
OFF Radio Krakow Reaches Younger Listeners with Virtual Personas
Nostalgic Summer Air Fresheners
Vacation's Air Fresheners Share Scents of Fan-Favorite Products
Scannable Snack Charity Campaigns
This Pringles Movember Campaign Updates the Brand's Mascot
70s-Style Cat Snack Ads
Temptations' Creamy Purrrr-ée Treats Star in a Nostalgic Holiday Ad
Perception-Challenging Art Exhibitions
Raise the Moral Studio Presents the Becoming Familiar Show
Erectile Dysfunction Medication Ads
Phoenix Wants to Help Canadian Men ‘Rise Again’
Provocative Guerrilla Campaigns
Jewelry Brand MWCurated Uses Fake Infidelity Flyers for Marketing
Eco-Minded Millennial Ads
Coors Seltzer's 'Call to Inaction' Campaign Aims to Save Water
Co-Branded Custom Ads
Lexus and Universal Pictures Partner for the 'Experience OZmazing' Spot
Heritage Brand Boot Ads
Blundstone Launches Global Campaign Celebrating Personal Boot Stories
Adorable Holiday Campaigns
Burberry's Holiday Campaign Spotlights Dogs and Ducklings
Cringe-Worthy Photo Campaigns
Sour Patch Kids is Challenging Fans to Choose "Cringe or Candy"
Humorous Natural Deodorant Campaigns
The Every Man Jack 'Still Smell Good' Campaign is Catchy
AI-Powered Advertising Tools
Amazon Ads Now Offers a Beta for its New AI Tools for Advertisers
Quirky Plant-Based Food Ads
Gosh! Food's Falafel Advertisement is Surprising
Redesigned Father's Day Cards
CALM & The Or's Father’s Day Redesign Challenges Outdated Messaging
Wasteful Shopping Billboards
Not On The High Street's Billboards Highlight a "Don't Gift Guide"
Cheeky Martini Ads
Grey Goose's Classic Martini Cocktail Ad Pokes Fun at Celeb Creative Directors
Visual Museum Campaigns
MoMA’s New Museum Campaign Transforms NYC into an Art Lover’s Paradise
Relatable Genderless Fragrances
NOYZ Makes Fragrances Inspired by Real Stories & Raw Feelings
Colorful Kitchen Pop-Ups
Primal Kitchen Partners with Pintrest for a Special Initiative
Retro Cartoon Makeup Collections
Rude Cosmetics x Olive Oyl Rebrands Retro Nostalgia
Motivational Breakfast Ccampaigns
Quaker Canada Introduces '100 Reasons to Rise'
Tongue-In-Cheek Soda Campaigns
Pepsi Jokes at Coca-Cola in It's Tastes Better Campaign
Hidden Discrimination Books
'Throwaway Comments' Fights Microaggressions in the Workplace
Peeling Cheese Packaging Billboards
This Babybel Billboard is Inspired by the Product's Packaging
E-Commerce Advertising Solutions
Reddit is Enhancing its Reach with the New Dynamic Product Ads
QSR X-Ray Campaigns
KFC Spain Presents a Chicken X-Ray Campaign to Combat a Stigma
Candid Celebration Campaigns
Edible's "There's an edible for That" Celebrates Even Awkward Moments
Social-First Car Campaigns
Škoda's Reddit Car Share Amplified the Voices of Passionate Fans
Artistic Multi-Beverage Ads
The Coca-Cola Family is Spotlighted in this Unique Ad
Cookie-Twisting Commercials
The OREO Super Bowl 2024 Spot Revisits Pivotal Moments in History
Inspiring Daily Bodycare
method's Unleash Your Inner Shower Celebrates Personal Transformations
Seasonal Soda Ads
Olipop's Christmas Ad Challenges Big Soda
Artful Illusory Ads
giffgaff's Large-Scale Illusion Artwork Challenges Inattentional Blindness
Anniversary-Celebrating Storytelling Ads
The Walt Disney Company Mark Marvel's 85th Anniversary
Inclusive Beauty Brands Initiatives
Annabelle Cosmetics Debuts 'Pride and Beauty for Everyone'
Recycled Ad Campaigns
Mars is Reusing Fan-Favorite Ads to Bring Attention to Climate Change
Comedic Christmas Parodies
'Reinfell' Ad Brings Rudolph’s Downfall to Life in Hilarious Spoof
Whimsical Bright Creative Workspaces
Publicis Groupe's New Workspace is in New York's SoHo
Reality-Bending Car Ads
CarGurus Ad Features Melting Lego and Gourmet Chef Toddlers
Irreverent Ethical Soap Campaigns
Pure Rush Soap's New Ad is a Fresh Take on Sustainable Branding
Playful QSR Campaigns
Cossette Forms the New McDonald's Campaign to Closest Restaurant
Global Storytelling Initatives
Vans Announces its Narrative-Centric Always Pushing Campaign
Novela-Inspired Liqueur Ads
Kahlúa's Spots Bring Excitement to Everyday Occasions
Hard-To-Read Health Campaigns
A Specsavers Campaign Encourages Movie-Goers to Check their Sight
AI-Powered Pain Visualization Experiences
Panadol Hosted the Art of Release Experience
Hyper-Local Gym Ads
GymBox's Made for London Life Ads Juxtapose City Living and Gym-Going
Bizarre Soda Campaigns
Dr Pepper's Try More Weird Disrupts Life's Boredoms with Weirdness
Alternative Butter Ads
Lurpak's Crush Expectations Redefines Plant-Based as Edgy, Not Earthy
Hilarious Fandom Cheese Campaigns
Beecher’s Handmade Cheese Launches First-Ever Paid Ad Campaign
Empowering Mental Health Football Ads
adidas Debuts Short Film 'You Got This'
Influencer Management Tools
Ogilvy Offers a Safety and Risk Management Tool for Marketing Brands
Skateboarding-Inspired Ads
Vans Launched the ‘Always Pushing’ Ad Highlighting Skating Culture
Search-Hacking Campaigns
Kraft Real Mayo's Search Moist Campaign Suggested a Word of the Year
Frozen Pizza-Centered Campaigns
Dr. Oetker Debuts the Frozen Pizza Publicist Campaign
Promotional Influencer Videos
Activision Recruits Multiple Creators to Appeal to Gen Z Consumers
Short Film-Inspired Ads
Apple’s New ‘The Underdogs’ Ad Features Various Apple Products
Joy-Inspired Beauty Campaigns
Ulta Beauty Launches the Joy Project, a Ground-Breaking Study
Revamped Juice Overhauls
Ocean Spray Announces a Brand Overhaul with Modern Influences
Redirected Movement Campaigns
Asics' 15MinuteWeightLoss Challenges Rapid Weight Loss Content
Disaster Relief-Supporting Pr Initiatives
Publicity for Good Supports Hurricane Helene Relief
Deserted Island Billboards
Silk & Spice Set Up a Billboard for Fans to Go and Find
Mango-Scented Newspaper Ads
Swiggy Instamart Launched a Scented Campaign in the Times of India
Comedic Groundhog Day Campaigns
Lay's Flavor for Days Campaign Taps into Groundhog Day
Billboard-Transformed Tent Shelters
Wunderman Thompson Morocco Creates the Life-Saving Outdoors
Ad-Focused Reaction Tools
Wunderman Thompson Launches 'Reveal' for Gauging Audience Responses
Debunking AI Apps
BSBot Helps Publicis Clients Tell the Truth About AI from Fiction at Cannes
Unconventional Foodie Magazines
Food& Magazine Explores the Weird and Wonderful World of Food
Classic Ad Campaign Revivals
Seagram's 7 Crown is Reviving Old Ads for Its New Campaign
April Fool's Lifestyle Collections
Nugget Introduced Its 'Most Trendiest - High Endiest' Line Yet
Celebratory Odd Designs
Ridiculous Design Celebrates Weird and Wonderful Ideas Within Design
Subtle Marketing Pop-Ups
FOMO Nudge Encourages Users to Buy with Subtle Pop-Ups
Love-Centric Public Service Announcements
Ad Council & R/GA Debut the Love Has No Labels Campaign
Provocative Eco Screensavers
Planet-Saving Screen Savers Encourage Switching Off Devices
Grocery Store Ad Spots
Morrisons, the UK Supermarket Chain, Celebrates Its Low Pricing in This Ad
Haunting Tech Safety PSAs
The Canadian Centre for Child Protection Releases 'The Horse'
Boomer-Focused Voter Advertisements
Perth Creatives Launch the New Groom-a-Boomer Voting Campaign
Generative AI Beverage Ads
The Coca‑Cola® Masterpiece Campaign Leverages AI to Create Visual Magic