The Rush Limbaugh Tucson Shooter ad has recently come under fire for its insensitivity and terrible timing (being unfortunately placed near the site of the recent shooting), though it isn’t the first ad to draw controversy for being ill-conceived.
Indeed, advertising has long been fraught with missteps and miscalculations, as this collection of advertising fails demonstrates. So while the Rush Limbaugh Tucson Shooter ad might be the latest dramatic example of a disastrous advertisement, it is not the first and certainly won’t be the last.
29 Controversial Marketing Fails
27
Dolce & Gabbana Gets Overly Sexual in New Controversial Ads
26
Controversial Support Bra Ad
Running Free
25
Poorly Placed Advertising
American Ad Bloopers
24
Misspelled Signs
Bizarre Billboard Blunders
23
Awarding Controversial Ads
American Apparel Dubbed Label of the Year
22
Controversial Billboards
Disney Ad Shows Little Girl in Lingerie
21
Banned Designer Billboards
Sexy Armani Exchange Promo Deemed 'Too Racy'
20
Sexist Ads
Pretty Women as Shoe Brushes
19
Curiously Offbeat Ads
Diesel Shows Unique Spirit in Fall/Winter Campaign
18
Billboard Threesomes
Calvin Klein Under Fire for Steamy Ads on Giant SoHo Advertisement
17
Controversial Ad Bans
Italian Tom Ford Sunglasses Ad
16
Censored Anti-Smoking Ads
Russian Anti-Smoking Billboard Meets Controversy
15
Billboard Hacking
Prankster Routes Naughty Content to Moscow Roadside Ad Space
14
Scandalous Church Billboards
St. Matthew in the City Anglican Church Stirs Controversy With Ad
13
Alarming Outdoor Ads
Sioux Falls Fire Department Shuts Down Smoking Billboard
12
'Life's Short. Get A Divorce'
Edgy Billboard Encourages Divorce
11
Advertising Bloopers
International Ads Lost in Translation
10
Odd Rubber Advertisements
Russian Billboard Promotes Safety and Tires?
9
Controversial Ad Campaign
Defamatory Pizza Box Marketing
8
Regional Meanvertising
Molson Coors' Toronto-Trashing Billboards Flop
7
Bleeding Billboards
Shocking Approach to Promote Road Safety in New Zealand
6
Controversial Suicide Billboards
Hanging Man Parodies Stock Market
5
Banning Controversial Ads
Kotex Beaver Ad
4
Controversial TV Spot Is 2007's Best TV Ad
The Last Supper
3
Fake Ads On Billboards
Attention-Grabbing First Bank Gimmick Altered to Promote Entrepreneurs
2
Activist Ad Rejections
NBC Refuses to Air PETA Thanksgiving Ad
1
Offensive Traveling Billboards
Aborted Fetus On Moving Truck
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
Self-Expressive Rugged Boots
Dr. Martens is Launching a Special Wednesday Collection
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
Clear In-Game Billboard Advertisements
SCS Software's Truck Simulator Uses Real-Life Advertising
Ingenious De-Influencing Ads
Cuyana's De-Influencing April Fool's Campaign Highlights Greenwashing
Film-Inspired Condiment Ads
GUT New York Forms the Heinz Smiles Campaign to Celebrate Joker 2
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
Reactive Fan-Based Football Campaigns
Coors Light Launched a New 'Coors Light Coors Light' Spot
Humorous Payment Campaigns
Paypal's Latest Campaign Features Actor Will Ferrell
Lazy Cereal Campaigns
SURREAL Cereal Cheekily Pokes Fun at New Year's Resolutions
Inspiring Leftover Ads
Hellmann's Mayo Cat Super Bowl Ad Uses Mayonnaise to Fight Food Waste
Soil Erosion Awareness Sandwich Ads
Hellmann's Aims to Save Sandwiches from Extinction
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
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
Global Handbag Campaigns
Coach's New 'Unlock Your Courage' Campaign Promotes Personal Expression
Retail Overconsumption Campaigns
Coachtopia's 'The Wasted Parts' Explores Overconsumption Culture
Influencer-Inspired Ads
Tomcat's Ad Shows an Influencer Mouse with a Fatal Unboxing Twist
Anti-Greenwashing Soap Ads
Navigating Eco-Consumer Irony with Better Climate Store's "Greenwash"
Star-Studded Bag Campaigns
Balenciaga Unveils the New Rodeo Handbag Campaign
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
Modern Tissue Brand Makeovers
Turner Duckworth Redesigns the Kleenex Branding Aesthetic
Mexican Tequila Brands
LALO is Launching a National See New Campaign
AR Shopping Malls
American Express' Door to Shop Small Highlights 10 Small Businesses
Cosmetic Criminal Commercials
Elf's Cosmetic Criminals Ad is a 15-Minute True Crime Parody
Marketer-Targeted Cereal Ads
Surreal's Out-of-Home Campaign Speaks to Marketers, Not Consumers
Springtime Holiday Cereal Branding
Lucky Charms Limited-Edition Packaging is Here for Spring
Football Mom Wine Ads
Barefoot Wine Embraces NFL Bandwagon Fans with The Barefoot Bandwagon Box
Futuristic Shapewear Ads
Skims' First-Ever TV Ad, Skims Lab, Stars Kim Kardashian in Every Role
Quirky Athlete-Centric Mayo Campaigns
Hellmann's New 'Mayotivations Campaign' Features Will Levis
Stylish Footwear Campaigns
Under Armour Targets Gen Z in its New 'Flex As You Go' Campaign
Humorous Collab Fashion Campaigns
Barbour and Maison Kitsuné Launches a New Campaign
Music Ticketing Campaigns
Coors Light Introduces 'Fix Tixflation' for Music Entertainment
Scented Fast Food Billboards
McDonald's Set Up a French Fry-Scented Billboard
Cheeky Wireless Service Ads
Visible's New Campaign with Jason Alexander Highlights Transparency
Humorous Pet Furniture Campaigns
IKEA Playfully Presents its UTSÅDD Collection in a Campaign
Condiment Spill Insurance Campaigns
Heinz Introduces the Ketchup Insurance Initiative
Retail Rage Rooms
Miista's Rage Room Invites NYC Customers to Destroy and Express Emotions
Shoppable CPG Ads
Instacart-Powered Shoppable Video Ads are Coming to YouTube
Neighborhood-Inspired Campaigns
Kotn's F/W 2024 Collection is Released with a Witty Short-Film
Confetti-Filled Snacking Commercials
Frito-Lay Launches the Taste of Super Bowl Campaign
Epic Rapper-Backed Soda Campaigns
PEPSI Launched its 'Make Your Gameday Epic' Campaign
Heritage Brand Boot Ads
Blundstone Launches Global Campaign Celebrating Personal Boot Stories
Rapper-Approved Product Campaigns
Topicals Introduces a New Fading Product with Rapper Flo Milli
Extreme Plumping Glosses
The First-Ever NYX Big Game Ad is Dropping with an Exclusive Lip Shade
Nostalgic Bodycare Revivals
Lush Brought Back 45 Previously Discontinued Retro Products
Reconciliation-Focused Brand Campaigns
Lush is Introducing the Limited-Edition #92 Shampoo Bar
Erectile Dysfunction Medication Ads
Phoenix Wants to Help Canadian Men ‘Rise Again’
Domestic Awareness Campaigns
IKEA Australia Presents the This is Not a Home Campaign
Eco-Minded Millennial Ads
Coors Seltzer's 'Call to Inaction' Campaign Aims to Save Water
Connected Beer Jerseys
Miller Lite's Running of the Beer Ads Turns Fans into Walking Billboards
Charged Phone Ads
Apple's 'Miss You' Ad Features a Personified Plug Longing for a Phone to Charge
Gen Z Breakfast Campaigns
'Start the Day the Totino’s Way' Targets Teens Who Skip Morning Meals
Co-Branded Custom Ads
Lexus and Universal Pictures Partner for the 'Experience OZmazing' Spot
Cringe-Worthy Photo Campaigns
Sour Patch Kids is Challenging Fans to Choose "Cringe or Candy"
Nostalgic Fragrance Campaigns
Impulse & Frankie Bridge Faithfully Recreated Iconic 90s Looks
Festive Savory Snack Ads
Frito Lay Canada is Encouraging Canadians to Leave Out Chips for Santa
Cheeky Martini Ads
Grey Goose's Classic Martini Cocktail Ad Pokes Fun at Celeb Creative Directors
Dramatized Caramel Candy Ads
Reese's Big Game Ad Shows Exaggerated, Relatable Reactions to Change
Retro Cartoon Makeup Collections
Rude Cosmetics x Olive Oyl Rebrands Retro Nostalgia
Sustainable QSR Litter Adverts
McDonald's Malta Presents New Captivating Eco-Centric Campaigns
Humorous Condiment Campaigns
Mike's Amazing Taps Jason Alexander for Its New Campaign
Movie-Inspired Truck Commercials
Ram Truck Partners with Universal Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures
Humorous Automotive Campaigns
Hyundai’s 'Where Have You Been?' Ad Merges Nostalgia and Branding
Shoppable Luxury Fashion Films
Tom Ford Allows Consumers to Seamlessly Shop Its Spring 2024 RTW
E-Commerce Advertising Solutions
Reddit is Enhancing its Reach with the New Dynamic Product Ads
Women-Themed Fashion Campaigns
Donna Karan New York Launches the Reflections on Women Campaign
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
Time Capsule-Style Branding Campigns
Coors Light & Patrick Mahomes Present a Unique Project
Quirky Plant-Based Food Ads
Gosh! Food's Falafel Advertisement is Surprising
Poeticized Luxury Fashion Campaigns
Club 21 Debuts its Cinematic 'Salute The Detail' Campaign
Artful Illusory Ads
giffgaff's Large-Scale Illusion Artwork Challenges Inattentional Blindness
Thoughtful Outdoor Brand Campaigns
Craghoppers Launches the Cool, Still Campaign for AW 2023
Wasteful Fashion Campaigns
Vestiaire Collective Reminded People to Shop Mindfully on Black Friday
Recycled Ad Campaigns
Mars is Reusing Fan-Favorite Ads to Bring Attention to Climate Change
Empowering Car Ads
CarMax's New Ad Campaign Takes a Witty Approach
Champion Tax Ads
H&R Block's Ads Claim All Users are Tax Champions
Anti-Bullying Toy Store Campaigns
Toys “R” Us Joins WITS Programs Foundation for Pink Shirt Day
Customized Film-Inspired Rugs
RugRiders Introduces New Artful Rush Hour 2 Rugs
Message-Driven Merch Collections
Lucky Beverage Company's Merch Collection Celebrates Resilience
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
Modernized Rose Delivery Services
Rose Rush Wants to Bring Back the Glamour of Sending Roses
Sporty Pharmaceutical Campaigns
Advil X The NFL Join Forces to Highlight Effective Pain Relief
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
Diamond Jewelry Holiday Campaigns
Ritani Has Launched a National Television Campaign
Sports Fan Advent Calendars
The Countdown to Chill Calendar Aligns with College Basketball Season
Influencer-Starring Car Commercials
Toyota's New Short Film Seeks to Resonate with Gen Z Customers
Sporty Minimal Bowling Sneakers
Brain Dead and adidas Join on the Monochromatic Lefty Shoe
First-Taste Burger Boxes
McSpicy x Frank's RedHot Released "the Hottest Drop"
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
Functional Militaristic Fall Apparel
maharishi Presents its New Campaign for the FW23 Season
Status Quo Defying Campaigns
The 'We Aren't Made To Be Still' Campaign Intersects Whisky with Life
Influencer Management Tools
Ogilvy Offers a Safety and Risk Management Tool for Marketing Brands
Celebrity-Backed Fragrance Ads
Axe Targets Generation Z with its New Star-Studded Campaign
Disaster Relief-Supporting Pr Initiatives
Publicity for Good Supports Hurricane Helene Relief
Distraction-Free Flip Phones
Consumer Cellular Unveils its 'Shot on Flip Phone' Campaign
College Football Ad Campaigns
Aflac Partners with Nick Saban and Deion 'Coach Prime' Sanders
Statement Short Films
'The Trial' by Gandja Monteiro Exposes Realities of Abortion Bans
Athlete-Backed Sports Apparel
Tiger Woods and TaylorMade Golf Team Up to Launch Sun Day Red
Short Film-Inspired Ads
Apple’s New ‘The Underdogs’ Ad Features Various Apple Products
Faux Santa Ad Spots
Mint Mobile's Ad Features "Greg" Who Looks a Lot Like Santa Claus
Celebrity-Starring Skincare Ads
Peter Thomas Roth Recruits Lindsay Lohan for its New Campaign
Sporty Sympathy Cars
The Fireball Footbawl Cards Come with a Spicy Twist
Redirected Movement Campaigns
Asics' 15MinuteWeightLoss Challenges Rapid Weight Loss Content
Celebrity Super Bowl Commercials
NYX Makeup and Cardi B Debut Their First Super Bowl Commercial
Vibrant Runner-Targeted Commercials
PUMA Southeast Asia Debuts a Community-Based Video Campaign
Veteran’s Day-Honoring Shirts
Untuckit’s Patriotic Shirt Supports Veterans and First Responders
Viral Political Campaign Accessories
The Viral Harris-Walz Camo Hat Appeals to Gen Z Voters
Advertising Demand-Side Platforms
Yahoo Launched Yahoo Creative to Help Advertisers
Underrepresented Artist Snack Branding
The New SunChips Art Seen Packaging Celebrates 2023 Winners
Bar Cart Mascots
Tito's New Ad Series Features an Anthropomorphic Bar Cart with Mixology Skills
Car Safety-Promoting PSAs
The Ad Council and NHTSA Have Launched a New Never Happens Campaign
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
Fandom-Exploring Sports Partnerships
NFL and Mitchell & Ness Collaborate to Spotlight Fan Stories
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
Playful Hamburger Campaigns
McDonald's is Asking the Public to Catch Hamburglar in the Burgercuda
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
Streaming Music Pack Promotions
Rustlers Debuts a New Boost Your Burger Initiative with Spotify
Grocery Store Ad Spots
Morrisons, the UK Supermarket Chain, Celebrates Its Low Pricing in This Ad
Last-Minute Gifting Ads
Uber Eats' Money Can Buy You Class Features RHoNY Stars
Haunting Tech Safety PSAs
The Canadian Centre for Child Protection Releases 'The Horse'
Indie Game-Adapted Movies
The El Paso, Elsewhere Game is Getting Turned into a Movie