Top 100 most controversial advertising campaigns

---
title: "Top 100 Most Controversial Advertising Campaigns"
subtitle: "A Deep Dive into the Most Shocking and Divisive Ads in History"
---

# Top 100 Most Controversial Advertising Campaigns

    "When marketing crosses the line."

Introduction: Advertising can be a powerful tool for storytelling and brand recognition. However, some campaigns have sparked outrage, debate, and controversy due to their provocative, insensitive, or shocking nature. This list ranks the top 100 most controversial advertising campaigns across various topics, from cultural insensitivity to ethical dilemmas, that generated significant public reaction and discourse.

## Topics
[TOC]

## Overview

- Title: "Top 100 Most Controversial Advertising Campaigns"
- Subtitle: "A Deep Dive into the Most Shocking and Divisive Ads in History"
- Tagline: "When marketing crosses the line."
- Description: "This list explores the most controversial ad campaigns ever, highlighting their themes, public backlash, and lessons learned."
- Keywords: Controversial Ads, Marketing Fails, Shocking Ads, Cultural Insensitivity, Ethical Dilemmas

## Cheat
```markdown
# Top 100 Most Controversial Advertising Campaigns
- Subtitle: "A Deep Dive into the Most Shocking and Divisive Ads in History"
- Tagline: "When marketing crosses the line."
- Description: "This list explores the most controversial ad campaigns ever, highlighting their themes, public backlash, and lessons learned."

## Topics
- Shocking Imagery: Ads that use shock value to grab attention.
- Cultural Insensitivity: Campaigns that failed to respect cultural values.
- Sexualization: Ads that crossed the line in sexual content.
- Political and Social Issues: Campaigns that took strong social or political stances.
- Ethical Dilemmas: Ads that raised moral or ethical concerns.

Top 100 List

1. Benetton - "Unhate" (Shocking Imagery)
2. H&M - "Coolest Monkey in the Jungle" (Cultural Insensitivity)
3. Pepsi - "Live For Now" (Kendall Jenner) (Ethical Dilemmas)
4. American Apparel - "Teen Models" (Sexualization)
5. Nike - "Colin Kaepernick" (Political and Social Issues)
6. Calvin Klein - "Obsession" (Shocking Imagery)
7. Heineken - "Lighter is Better" (Cultural Insensitivity)
8. PETA - "Holocaust on Your Plate" (Shocking Imagery)
9. Sisley - "Fashion Junkie" (Shocking Imagery)
10. Dolce & Gabbana - "Gang Rape" (Shocking Imagery)
11. Kenneth Cole - "Haiti Earthquake" (Shocking Imagery)
12. Dove - "Real Beauty Sketches" (Ethical Dilemmas)
13. Gillette - "The Best Men Can Be" (Political and Social Issues)
14. PETA - "Vegans Last Longer" (Sexualization)
15. Burger King - "Blow Job Ad" (Shocking Imagery)
16. Nivea - "White is Purity" (Cultural Insensitivity)
17. Skittles - "Touch the Rainbow" (Shocking Imagery)
18. GoDaddy - "Lost Puppy" (Shocking Imagery)
19. Dolce & Gabbana - "Chinese Chopsticks" (Cultural Insensitivity)
20. Carl's Jr. - "Sexualized Burgers" (Sexualization)
21. PlayStation - "White is Coming" (Shocking Imagery)
22. World Wildlife Fund - "9/11 Twin Towers" (Shocking Imagery)
23. McDonald's - "Dead Dad" (Cultural Insensitivity)
24. Sprite - "Drink Sprite" (Ethical Dilemmas)
25. Bloomingdale's - "Spike Your Best Friend's Eggnog" (Ethical Dilemmas)
26. Toyota - "Suicide Ad" (Ethical Dilemmas)
27. Hyundai - "Pipe Job" (Political and Social Issues)
28. Coca-Cola - "America the Beautiful" (Cultural Insensitivity)
29. Burger King - "Penny Whopper" (Ethical Dilemmas)
30. Intel - "Multiply Computing Power" (Cultural Insensitivity)
31. American Eagle - "Metallica Shirt" (Cultural Insensitivity)
32. L'Oreal - "No Black Models" (Cultural Insensitivity)
33. Dior - "Sauvage" (Cultural Insensitivity)
34. Adidas - "Boston Marathon Email" (Cultural Insensitivity)
35. Gucci - "Underage Models" (Sexualization)
36. Budweiser - "Born the Hard Way" (Political and Social Issues)
37. Diesel - "Be Stupid" (Political and Social Issues)
38. Volkswagen - "Cheetah Commercial" (Cultural Insensitivity)
39. Hardee's - "Paris Hilton" (Sexualization)
40. Belvedere Vodka - "Offensive Ad" (Sexualization)
41. Burger King - "Long Chicken" (Cultural Insensitivity)
42. Skyy Vodka - "Sexualized Bottles" (Sexualization)
43. Dolce & Gabbana - "Orgasmic Pasta" (Sexualization)
44. Urban Outfitters - "Kent State Sweatshirt" (Ethical Dilemmas)
45. Gap - "Gap Kids" (Cultural Insensitivity)
46. Aunt Jemima - "Mammy" (Cultural Insensitivity)
47. Calvin Klein - "Young Models" (Ethical Dilemmas)
48. Benetton - "Heart Transplant" (Shocking Imagery)
49. Lynx - "Fallen Angel" (Sexualization)
50. Arby's - "Meat Mountain" (Sexualization)
51. BMW - "Sexualized Car" (Sexualization)
52. Nike - "Worlds Apart" (Political and Social Issues)
53. Burger King - "Net Neutrality" (Political and Social Issues)
54. Starbucks - "Race Together" (Political and Social Issues)
55. PETA - "Save the Whales" (Cultural Insensitivity)
56. Volkswagen - "The Force" (Shocking Imagery)
57. American Apparel - "Legalize Gay" (Political and Social Issues)
58. GoDaddy - "Hot Domain" (Ethical Dilemmas)
59. World Wildlife Fund - "Tsunami" (Ethical Dilemmas)
60. Axe - "Bom Chicka Wah Wah" (Sexualization)
61. Mountain Dew - "Felicia the Goat" (Shocking Imagery)
62. Dolce & Gabbana - "Chopsticks" (Cultural Insensitivity)
63. Heineken - "Worlds Apart" (Political and Social Issues)
64. Lynx - "Bom Chicka Wah Wah" (Sexualization)
65. Skittles - "Touch the Rainbow" (Shocking Imagery)
66. American Apparel - "Plus-Size Models" (Sexualization)
67. Toyota - "Suicide Ad" (Political and Social Issues)
68. Urban Outfitters - "Blood Spattered T-Shirt" (Shocking Imagery)
69. Pepsi - "Pepsi and Kendall Jenner Protest" (Political and Social Issues)
70. Burger King - "Women Belong in the Kitchen" (Ethical Dilemmas)
71. American Apparel - "Back to School" (Sexualization)
72. Axe - "Showerpooling" (Sexualization)
73. Calvin Klein - "Up-Skirt Billboard" (Shocking Imagery)
74. Kenneth Cole - "Spring Collection Arab Spring Tweet" (Political and Social Issues)
75. Bloomingdale’s - "Mistletoe Ad" (Ethical Dilemmas)
76. Bud Light - "Remove No from Your Vocabulary" (Ethical Dilemmas)
77. GoDaddy - "Bodybuilder Commercial" (Shocking Imagery)
78. PETA - "Milk Causes Autism" (Cultural Insensitivity)
79. Burger King - "Whopper Detour" (Ethical Dilemmas)
80. Gucci - "Blackface Sweater" (Cultural Insensitivity)
81. Nivea - "Re-Civilize Yourself" (Cultural Insensitivity)
82. Hyundai - "Death-Proof Car" (Ethical Dilemmas)
83. Dolce & Gabbana - "The Great Show" (Cultural Insensitivity)
84. PepsiCo - "Mountain Dew Goat Commercial" (Shocking Imagery)
85. Heineken - "Sometimes Lighter is Better" (Cultural Insensitivity)
86. Victoria’s Secret - "Perfect Body Campaign" (Cultural Insensitivity)
87. McDonald’s - "McFetus" (Shocking Imagery)
88. American Apparel - "Bottomless Ad" (Sexualization)
89. Dior - "Johnny Depp Sauvage Ad" (Cultural Insensitivity)
90. Facebook - "Fake News Ads" (Ethical Dilemmas)
91. Burger King - "Moldy Whopper" (Shocking Imagery)
92. Adidas - "Survivor Email" (Cultural Insensitivity)
93. H&M - "Girl Power Jacket" (Ethical Dilemmas)
94. Pepsi - "Pepsi Perfect Commercial" (Shocking Imagery)
95. Zara - "Holocaust Shirt" (Cultural Insensitivity)
96. Airbnb - "Floating World Ad" (Cultural Insensitivity)
97. Dolce & Gabbana - "Singapore Chopsticks Ad" (Cultural Insensitivity)
98. Sony - "PSP White vs. Black" (Cultural Insensitivity)
99. Reebok - "Cheat on Your Girlfriend" (Ethical Dilemmas)
100. Diesel - "Make Love Not Walls" (Political and Social Issues)

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Top 100 Table

Rank	Name	Topic	Tagline
1	Benetton - "Unhate"	Shocking Imagery	"Shock value or poor taste?"
2	H&M - "Coolest Monkey in the Jungle"	Cultural Insensitivity	"When marketing forgets boundaries."
3	Pepsi - "Live For Now" (Kendall Jenner)	Ethical Dilemmas	"Morality in marketing."
4	American Apparel - "Teen Models"	Sexualization	"When selling sex sells out morality."
5	Nike - "Colin Kaepernick"	Political and Social Issues	"When brands take a stand."
6	Calvin Klein - "Obsession"	Shocking Imagery	"Shock value or poor taste?"
7	Heineken - "Lighter is Better"	Cultural Insensitivity	"When marketing forgets boundaries."
8	PETA - "Holocaust on Your Plate"	Shocking Imagery	"Shock value or poor taste?"
9	Sisley - "Fashion Junkie"	Shocking Imagery	"Shock value or poor taste?"
10	Dolce & Gabbana - "Gang Rape"	Shocking Imagery	"Shock value or poor taste?"
11	Kenneth Cole - "Haiti Earthquake"	Shocking Imagery	"Shock value or poor taste?"
12	Dove - "Real Beauty Sketches"	Ethical Dilemmas	"Morality in marketing."
13	Gillette - "The Best Men Can Be"	Political and Social Issues	"When brands take a stand."
14	PETA - "Vegans Last Longer"	Sexualization	"When selling sex sells out morality."
15	Burger King - "Blow Job Ad"	Shocking Imagery	"Shock value or poor taste?"
16	Nivea - "White is Purity"	Cultural Insensitivity	"When marketing forgets boundaries."
17	Skittles - "Touch the Rainbow"	Shocking Imagery	"Shock value or poor taste?"
18	GoDaddy - "Lost Puppy"	Shocking Imagery	"Shock value or poor taste?"
19	Dolce & Gabbana - "Chinese Chopsticks"	Cultural Insensitivity	"When marketing forgets boundaries."
20	Carl's Jr. - "Sexualized Burgers"	Sexualization	"When selling sex sells out morality."
21	PlayStation - "White is Coming"	Shocking Imagery	"Shock value or poor taste?"
22	World Wildlife Fund - "9/11 Twin Towers"	Shocking Imagery	"Shock value or poor taste?"
23	McDonald's - "Dead Dad"	Cultural Insensitivity	"When marketing forgets boundaries."
24	Sprite - "Drink Sprite"	Ethical Dilemmas	"Morality in marketing."
25	Bloomingdale's - "Spike Your Friend's Eggnog"	Ethical Dilemmas	"Morality in marketing."
26	Toyota - "Suicide Ad"	Ethical Dilemmas	"Morality in marketing."
27	Hyundai - "Pipe Job"	Political and Social Issues	"When brands take a stand."
28	Coca-Cola - "America the Beautiful"	Cultural Insensitivity	"When marketing forgets boundaries."
29	Burger King - "Penny Whopper"	Ethical Dilemmas	"Morality in marketing."
30	Intel - "Multiply Computing Power"	Cultural Insensitivity	"When marketing forgets boundaries."
31	American Eagle - "Metallica Shirt"	Cultural Insensitivity	"When marketing forgets boundaries."
32	L'Oreal - "No Black Models"	Cultural Insensitivity	"When marketing forgets boundaries."
33	Dior - "Sauvage"	Cultural Insensitivity	"When marketing forgets boundaries."
34	Adidas - "Boston Marathon Email"	Cultural Insensitivity	"When marketing forgets boundaries."
35	Gucci - "Underage Models"	Sexualization	"When selling sex sells out morality."
36	Budweiser - "Born the Hard Way"	Political and Social Issues	"When brands take a stand."
37	Diesel - "Be Stupid"	Political and Social Issues	"When brands take a stand."
38	Volkswagen - "Cheetah Commercial"	Cultural Insensitivity	"When marketing forgets boundaries."
39	Hardee's - "Paris Hilton"	Sexualization	"When selling sex sells out morality."
40	Belvedere Vodka - "Offensive Ad"	Sexualization	"When selling sex sells out morality."
41	Burger King - "Long Chicken"	Cultural Insensitivity	"When marketing forgets boundaries."
42	Skyy Vodka - "Sexualized Bottles"	Sexualization	"When selling sex sells out morality."
43	Dolce & Gabbana - "Orgasmic Pasta"	Sexualization	"When selling sex sells out morality."
44	Urban Outfitters - "Kent State Sweatshirt"	Ethical Dilemmas	"Morality in marketing."
45	Gap - "Gap Kids"	Cultural Insensitivity	"When marketing forgets boundaries."
46	Aunt Jemima - "Mammy"	Cultural Insensitivity	"When marketing forgets boundaries."
47	Calvin Klein - "Young Models"	Ethical Dilemmas	"Morality in marketing."
48	Benetton - "Heart Transplant"	Shocking Imagery	"Shock value or poor taste?"
49	Lynx - "Fallen Angel"	Sexualization	"When selling sex sells out morality."
50	Arby's - "Meat Mountain"	Sexualization	"When selling sex sells out morality."
51	BMW - "Sexualized Car"	Sexualization	"When selling sex sells out morality."
52	Nike - "Worlds Apart"	Political and Social Issues	"When brands take a stand."
53	Burger King - "Net Neutrality"	Political and Social Issues	"When brands take a stand."
54	Starbucks - "Race Together"	Political and Social Issues	"When brands take a stand."
55	PETA - "Save the Whales"	Cultural Insensitivity	"When marketing forgets boundaries."
56	Volkswagen - "The Force"	Shocking Imagery	"Shock value or poor taste?"
57	American Apparel - "Legalize Gay"	Political and Social Issues	"When brands take a stand."
58	GoDaddy - "Hot Domain"	Ethical Dilemmas	"Morality in marketing."
59	World Wildlife Fund - "Tsunami"	Ethical Dilemmas	"Morality in marketing."
60	Axe - "Bom Chicka Wah Wah"	Sexualization	"When selling sex sells out morality."
61	Mountain Dew - "Felicia the Goat"	Shocking Imagery	"Shock value or poor taste?"
62	Dolce & Gabbana - "Chopsticks"	Cultural Insensitivity	"When marketing forgets boundaries."
63	Heineken - "Worlds Apart"	Political and Social Issues	"When brands take a stand."
64	Lynx - "Bom Chicka Wah Wah"	Sexualization	"When selling sex sells out morality."
65	Skittles - "Touch the Rainbow"	Shocking Imagery	"Shock value or poor taste?"
66	American Apparel - "Plus-Size Models"	Sexualization	"When selling sex sells out morality."
67	Toyota - "Suicide Ad"	Political and Social Issues	"When brands take a stand."
68	Urban Outfitters - "Blood Spattered T-Shirt"	Shocking Imagery	"Shock value or poor taste?"
69	Pepsi - "Pepsi and Kendall Jenner Protest"	Political and Social Issues	"When brands take a stand."
70	Burger King - "Women Belong in the Kitchen"	Ethical Dilemmas	"Morality in marketing."
71	American Apparel - "Back to School"	Sexualization	"When selling sex sells out morality."
72	Axe - "Showerpooling"	Sexualization	"When selling sex sells out morality."
73	Calvin Klein - "Up-Skirt Billboard"	Shocking Imagery	"Shock value or poor taste?"
74	Kenneth Cole - "Spring Collection Arab Spring Tweet"	Political and Social Issues	"When brands take a stand."
75	Bloomingdale’s - "Mistletoe Ad"	Ethical Dilemmas	"Morality in marketing."
76	Bud Light - "Remove No from Your Vocabulary"	Ethical Dilemmas	"Morality in marketing."
77	GoDaddy - "Bodybuilder Commercial"	Shocking Imagery	"Shock value or poor taste?"
78	PETA - "Milk Causes Autism"	Cultural Insensitivity	"When marketing forgets boundaries."
79	Burger King - "Whopper Detour"	Ethical Dilemmas	"Morality in marketing."
80	Gucci - "Blackface Sweater"	Cultural Insensitivity	"When marketing forgets boundaries."
81	Nivea - "Re-Civilize Yourself"	Cultural Insensitivity	"When marketing forgets boundaries."
82	Hyundai - "Death-Proof Car"	Ethical Dilemmas	"Morality in marketing."
83	Dolce & Gabbana - "The Great Show"	Cultural Insensitivity	"When marketing forgets boundaries."
84	PepsiCo - "Mountain Dew Goat Commercial"	Shocking Imagery	"Shock value or poor taste?"
85	Heineken - "Sometimes Lighter is Better"	Cultural Insensitivity	"When marketing forgets boundaries."
86	Victoria’s Secret - "Perfect Body Campaign"	Cultural Insensitivity	"When marketing forgets boundaries."
87	McDonald’s - "McFetus"	Shocking Imagery	"Shock value or poor taste?"
88	American Apparel - "Bottomless Ad"	Sexualization	"When selling sex sells out morality."
89	Dior - "Johnny Depp Sauvage Ad"	Cultural Insensitivity	"When marketing forgets boundaries."
90	Facebook - "Fake News Ads"	Ethical Dilemmas	"Morality in marketing."
91	Burger King - "Moldy Whopper"	Shocking Imagery	"Shock value or poor taste?"
92	Adidas - "Survivor Email"	Cultural Insensitivity	"When marketing forgets boundaries."
93	H&M - "Girl Power Jacket"	Ethical Dilemmas	"Morality in marketing."
94	Pepsi - "Pepsi Perfect Commercial"	Shocking Imagery	"Shock value or poor taste?"
95	Zara - "Holocaust Shirt"	Cultural Insensitivity	"When marketing forgets boundaries."
96	Airbnb - "Floating World Ad"	Cultural Insensitivity	"When marketing forgets boundaries."
97	Dolce & Gabbana - "Singapore Chopsticks Ad"	Cultural Insensitivity	"When marketing forgets boundaries."
98	Sony - "PSP White vs. Black"	Cultural Insensitivity	"When marketing forgets boundaries."
99	Reebok - "Cheat on Your Girlfriend"	Ethical Dilemmas	"Morality in marketing."
100	Diesel - "Make Love Not Walls"	Political and Social Issues	"When brands take a stand."

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Conclusion

Advertising campaigns have the power to shape opinions, create awareness, and spark conversations. However, when marketing strategies rely on shock, insensitivity, or poor judgment, they can quickly become controversial. This list of the top 100 most controversial advertising campaigns highlights the risks and potential fallout of pushing boundaries in marketing.