Advertising Controversy: Commercials That Have Created Problems

Sure, we hear about it here and there, ads pulled from television due to seemingly inappropriate content because some "group" found it offensive. But did you know there was a list of top best, err, worst ads to cross said line?

Advertising is suppose to use catchy phrases and edgy images to capture its target group but an AOL news article shows us just how some of those addys may have stepped over the line. Some of the ads received complaints from certain groups, such as the Six Flags commercial where the Japanese spokesperson was said to be demeaning to Asians while other groups responded to human nature like Dolce and Gabanna's simulated rape ad or those labeled as disrespectful to suicide victims and their families like GM's $5 Million US Superbowl commercial that featured a robot essentially killing itself. A few of the advertisements received complaints that they promoted anti-gay or anti-semitism, while others were labeled as siding with being gay, animal abuse or even soft porn, as was the case with Paris Hilton's 2005 Carl's Jr. spicy burger number that failed to increase sales but may have increased blood pressures. Some of the ads were immediately pulled while others received a cold shoulder to complaints. So whatever the take on the twenty contenders for bad advertising, you can't please everyone all the time and well, some people just have too much time on their hands to complain. Two of my favourites that didn't make the list? A Mr. T candybar commercial that was pulled for being anti-gay and a Heinz mayonnaise commercial pulled for being too gay. Off to McDonald's for some fries that "I'd hit."