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29 Controversial Marketing Fails

Rush Limbaugh Tucson Shooter Ad Sheds Light on Unfortunate Ads

— January 14, 2011 — Marketing
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.
6.1
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
27
Offensive Traveling Billboards
Offensive Traveling Billboards
Aborted Fetus On Moving Truck
<
26
Controversial TV Spot Is 2007's Best TV Ad
Controversial TV Spot Is 2007's Best TV Ad
The Last Supper
<
25
Odd Rubber Advertisements
Odd Rubber Advertisements
Russian Billboard Promotes Safety and Tires?
<
24
Activist Ad Rejections
Activist Ad Rejections
NBC Refuses to Air PETA Thanksgiving Ad
<
23
Controversial Ad Campaign
Controversial Ad Campaign
Defamatory Pizza Box Marketing
<
22
Regional Meanvertising
Regional Meanvertising
Molson Coors' Toronto-Trashing Billboards Flop
<
21
Fake Ads On Billboards
Fake Ads On Billboards
Attention-Grabbing First Bank Gimmick Altered to Promote Entrepreneurs
<
20
'Life's Short. Get A Divorce'
'Life's Short. Get A Divorce'
Edgy Billboard Encourages Divorce
<
19
Banning Controversial Ads
Banning Controversial Ads
Kotex Beaver Ad
<
18
Alarming Outdoor Ads
Alarming Outdoor Ads
Sioux Falls Fire Department Shuts Down Smoking Billboard
<
17
Billboard Threesomes
Billboard Threesomes
Calvin Klein Under Fire for Steamy Ads on Giant SoHo Advertisement
<
16
Controversial Suicide Billboards
Controversial Suicide Billboards
Hanging Man Parodies Stock Market
<
15
Billboard Hacking
Billboard Hacking
Prankster Routes Naughty Content to Moscow Roadside Ad Space
<
14
Censored Anti-Smoking Ads
Censored Anti-Smoking Ads
Russian Anti-Smoking Billboard Meets Controversy
<
13
Bleeding Billboards
Bleeding Billboards
Shocking Approach to Promote Road Safety in New Zealand
<
12
Curiously Offbeat Ads
Curiously Offbeat Ads
Diesel Shows Unique Spirit in Fall/Winter Campaign
<
11
Advertising Bloopers
Advertising Bloopers
International Ads Lost in Translation
<
10
Controversial Ad Bans
Controversial Ad Bans
Italian Tom Ford Sunglasses Ad
<
9
Scandalous Church Billboards
Scandalous Church Billboards
St. Matthew in the City Anglican Church Stirs Controversy With Ad
<
8
Controversial Billboards
Controversial Billboards
Disney Ad Shows Little Girl in Lingerie
<
7
Sexist Ads
Sexist Ads
Pretty Women as Shoe Brushes
<
6
Banned Designer Billboards
Banned Designer Billboards
Sexy Armani Exchange Promo Deemed 'Too Racy'
<
5
Awarding Controversial Ads
Awarding Controversial Ads
American Apparel Dubbed Label of the Year
<
4
Controversial Support Bra Ad
Controversial Support Bra Ad
Running Free
<
3
Dolce & Gabbana Gets Overly Sexual in New Controversial Ads
Dolce & Gabbana Gets Overly Sexual in New Controversial Ads
<
2
Poorly Placed Advertising
Poorly Placed Advertising
American Ad Bloopers
<
1
Misspelled Signs
Misspelled Signs
Bizarre Billboard Blunders
<