Top 50 Shockvertisements - Controversial Ads (SUPER GALLERY)

Creating an emotional connection is crucial to effective marketing campaigns. One common technique is to arouse the feeling of shock.

Some of these ad campaigns really push the limits of what could be considered an effective visual. They include print ads, TV spots, online virals and guerrilla marketing campaigns. Many are disturbing, and most are controversial.

Regardless of one’s own interpretation, these ads do what they’re meant to do: they evoke emotion in order to create buzz. They get people talking. The ads circulate and the brand name is mentioned repeatedly and awareness is brought to the company. Whether you agree with the term or not, these advertising campaigns rest on the saying that “all publicity is good publicity.”

If it’s the sexier ads you’re after specifically, check out the Top 69 Naughty Ads!

From sex and everything else that shocks, look at these trends…

Awareness

Shock Advertising - Pedestrian Safety Ad in Brazil

Wickipedia defines Shock Advertising as “a form of advertising where social or moral boundaries are pushed in order to create buzz and controversy.  It depends on the mantra “there’s no such thing as bad publicity.” In the above example from the Brazil government, you can see that the definition of… [More]

3D Activism Ad - Graphic Anti-Whaling Campaign

If this doesn’t convey the message, nothing will. This very graphic ad against whaling was done up by the Republic of Everyone, the art direction by Happy Soldiers. The photograph of a whale whose guts are literally oozing out is meant to speak out against the unethical fishing of whales. Although… [More]

Biomimicmarketing in Shockvertisement - French AIDS Campaign (GALLERY)

These very graphic, extremely disturbing ads are actually part of a real life AIDS campaign in France. The print advertisements consists of images of a man having sex with a giant, black scorpion, and a woman receiving oral sex from an enormous, hairy tarantula. The ads created by TBWA Paris are… [More]

Youth Shockvertising - Statutory Rape Awareness Ad

Statutory rape in Milwaukee is on the rise, so much so, that the Family Violence Partnership hired Serve, an ad agency to create this shockvertisement. The point the advertisement is trying to get across is that just because a girl has a body physically capable of sex, doesn’t mean her mind has de… [More]

Youth Shockvertising II - ‘Don’t Lose Control’ Child Abuse Ad (GALLERY)

These ads relatd to child-protection are very disturbing. But so is the subject matter.  Domestic violence is a serious issue that can leave a child scarred for life. This ad campaign, with realistic looking blood, drives the point home. The child protection agencies are intended to shield children from pedophilia … [More]

Bloodvertising - Red Cross Ad For Blood Donation

In a unique campaign for the Red Cross of Australia, the M&C Saatchi has created bloodvertising.  Instead of conveying a message through a typical sign, the inclusion of blood is the medium.  Unfortunately, this may just be a print ad.  With the word of mouth impact they’ll get, maybe we’ll see the … [More]

Shockvertising - PETA Slaughters Humans

PETA has decided to alienate their target market, humans, through some very shocking campaigns.  Their latest ad features fake slaughtered humans which are intended to emphasize PETA’s feelings about humans who slaughter animals. [More]

Strip and Switch - PETA Video Uses Stripping to Get You to See Animal Abuse

PETA has launched it’s State of the Union video, in which a female reporter strips down to absolutely nothing while educating you about PETA’s cause.  Then, when you’re wondering what comes next with the second half of the video, the naked woman disappears and you get to watch animals being mistreat… [More]

Eastern European Shockvertising - APFR Battered Women Ads

The Association for the Promotion of Women in Romania (APFR is the acronym in Romanian) put out this ad showcasing the plight of battered women in that Eastern European Country. The very same ad could be splattered on any public telephone of any country in the world. Some well traveled, abused clich… [More]

Shocking Cigarette Labels - UK Follows Canada With Graphic Attempt to Discourage Smoking (GALLERY)

Until now cigarette packs in the UK have carried text warning that have been much larger than those in the US Apparently that hasn’t lead to a steep enough decline in smoking which has recently been banned in public places in the UK. So, the UK will become the first EU member to print the photo wa… [More]

Mutant Veggie Ad - Green Peace Uses Shock Factor (GALLERY)

Do you know what you eat? Manipulated food doesn’t just pertain to animal products. This Green Peace ad uses creative visuals to points out the dangers of genetically modified fruits and vegetables. “The DNA of genetically modified plants may contain the genes of insects, animals or even viru… [More]

About Face Website - Fighting Against Distorted Images of Women in the Media (GALLERY)

About Face is a unique website trying to promote awareness and combat the media’s distortion of women in advertising. The site features responsible advertisers and a “worst offenders” list, which is extensive! The Worst Offenders List is mostly populated by clothing designers.  The way these compa… [More]

Public Urination as Advertising - Guerrilla Ad Campaign

Just when you got all excited, I need to tell you that the human publically urinating for the Privy Council is actually a maniquen.  Still, impressive.  The campaign by Saatchi & Saatchi is an attempt to relieve the New York restroom shortage by taking the issue to the streets.  At the Privy Council… [More]

Rape Public Awareness Ads - Pepper Spray (GALLERY)

These creative rape public awareness ads from Thailand relay an important message. Girls & boys, always have a pepper spray ready in dangerous places. The campaign smartly plays on the tag line “When they can’t see, they can’t hurt you” by blackening out the attacker through the range of the pepper… [More]

Kenneth Cole Uses AIDS to Sell Fashion

Kenneth Cole is using AIDS to sell fashion.  Specifically, the latest Kenneth Cole ads feature luring models with the tagline, “We’re all potential carriers.” Let that one scare you… In general I’m a fan of charities getting leveraging corporate marketing machines… However, I’m still not convi… [More]

Difficult Advertising & Branding - Olla Condoms (GALLERY)

This new ad campaign for Olla condoms got me thinking about how hard it is to advertise certain brands. The tag line of the campaign is “The day after is more relaxed for those who wear condoms.” The only indicator of the brand is a printed ‘Olla’ underneath. So when you think about it, the effect i… [More]

Products

Creative Support Bra Ad - Running Free (GALLERY)

This a controversial ad campaign that has sparked much debate. It’s an ad for Running Free support bras. It needs to be noted that they were not actually created by Running Free. DDB had pitched the idea, but the bra company refused to be associated with the imagery. The campaign features three ph… [More]

Shockvertising with Bite - Stella Espresso Coffee

This is an ad from Stella Espresso Coffee which seeks to express to coffee drinkers in Italy just how strong their coffee is and how much “bite” it really has. The scorpion, which is made out of coffee beans, is crawling up the woman’s nose and lingering around her mouth to graphically represent t… [More]

Toyota Prius Campaign - Prostitute, Lover, Killer (GALLERY)

Toyota thinks that sometimes you gotta overlook and forgive a man’s wrongdoing, as long as he is driving a Prius! The new Toyota Prius campaign uses the tagline “Well, at least he drives a Prius” with a backdrop of three pretty bad/naughty scenarios. Killer, shows a man dragging a dead body into the… [More]

Gruesome Shockvertising - Sony PSP Retry Ad

I am certain that soldiers, fighters and armies all over the world would love this retry feature. The “Retry” Ad for Sony’s PlayStation Portable player gives you a gruesome visual with limps and organs all over the place; a retry is most welcome! The ad was photographed by Kaustubh Kamat with art … [More]

Funny Feminine Hygiene Ads - Tampax Swimming Pool (VIDEO)

A funny commercial is always good in my book. A funny and sexy commercial is even better. These two video commercials for Tampax use the same clever idea of a sexy girl going for a dip in the pool ending up draining the pool water to show the ‘super absorbent’ quality of Tampax. One commercial g… [More]

Naughty, Crude & Nasty

Controversial Ads - Deutsch Magazine (GALLERY)

I have to say, looking at these ads makes you wonder what kind of lifestyle Deutsch Magazine, an International LifeStyle magazine, promotes. Is ‘animal-love’ the new hip international lifestyle these days and I did not know? I looked at the magazine online, and it is actually an elegant über classy… [More]

Dolce & Gabbana Gets Overly Sexual in New Controversial Ads (VIDEO)

Sex sells; by now, we all know that. But a lot of advertisers are having a tough time figuring out where to draw that sexy line. A model friend of mine spends hours a day perusing high end fashion magazines, learning from and scrutinizing ads, examining everything from photography to makeup applica… [More]

Violent Advertising - Amnesty International Furious at Dolce & Gabbana Ad

Dolce & Gabanna has angered many people with this ad, which features a woman being overpowered by a gang of men.  It’s pretty clear why people are getting so upset.  From D&G’s perspective, they are happy that everybody is keeping an eye on their ad and will never forget the brand. International A… [More]

Naked Hairy Shock Advertising - Burt Reynolds Strips Down for DirecTV

Burt Reynolds is naked again, years past his prime.  His hairy ad, which features a layout similar to the infamous George Kastanza photoshoot, is for DirecTV’s latest campaign.  The ad states, “Everything should be seen in DirecTV HD ... well, maybe not everything.” Touche. The campaign is a good … [More]

Playful Guerilla Ads - Sexy Camera in Public Bathrooms (GALLERY)

Sexy Camera is a new erotic candid camera TV show on air on March 2008 on FX channel in Italy. To promote the show, AM-NEWTON21 ad agency, Italy came up with this creative guerrilla campaign that reaches the target male audience in their public toilets at pubs and gyms. The campaign uses soap dispe… [More]

Celebrity Shock Virals - Sarah Silverman is F--king Matt Damon (VIDEO)

Viral videos are one of the most looked at things on the web and have proven to be an excellent way to boost publicity. Hollywood actors are slowly starting to catch onto this wildly popular form of media, thanks to stars like Will Ferrell who was one of the pioneers of self-made celebrity virals. … [More]

Celebrity Banter - Jimmy Kimmel is F--king Ben Affleck (VIDEO)

Jimmy Kimmel has responded to girlfriend Sarah Silverman’s viral video with a celebrity filled viral video of his own: ‘I’m F--king Ben Affleck’.  The celebrity studded viral includes cameo appearances from Ben Affleck and Brad Pitt, Harrison Ford, Cameron Diaz, Joan Jett, Macy Gray, Robin Williams… [More]

Controversially Viral - Virgin’s Naughty Campaign (VIDEO)

Virgin is being criticized for making their latest campaign a little bit too naughty. The wildlife orgy campaign is Richard Branson’s attempt to show the environmental perks of Virgin Trains. The video shows “Pantomime animals simulating vigorous and varied sex acts,” the Sunday Herald described. … [More]

Shock Advertising?  That’s not a surprise for Virgin Mobile.

There’s nothing wrong with holiday wrapping paper that shows horny angels kissing and fondling one another. Unless you’re Virgin Mobile Canada, and you’re handing it out to children at movie theaters. All you get then is angry parents muttering things like, “Somebody had to have their head s… [More]

Tom Ford’s Racy New Ad - Controversial Cologne Campaign (GALLERY)

Tom Ford’s latest cologne ad might be considered a little crude, but the sexy advertising technique is certainly proving effective. The commercial is getting a lot of attention for the provacative image of a woman grabbing her unnaturally round, full breasts with her manicured hands, pressing them t… [More]

Racy Product Placement - Do Tom Ford’s Vaginads Cross the Line? (GALLERY)

Adrants recently coined the term “Vaginads,” a hybrid of vagina and advertising after being inspired by two new campaigns. In Tom Ford’s risque new campaign, just like his last ad, (see below) a very nude woman is featured wearing nothing but the product. This time, instead of being placed between… [More]

Tom Ford’s Controversial Ads Part III - Naughty Menswear Ad

That dirty-minded Tom Ford has released yet another risque ad. The studly young fashion designer has released a series of controversial ads which people either love or hate, all of them very, very sexy. In his most recent menswear ad, a young gentleman clad in a white suit appears to yelp in pain a… [More]

Hot Girls Dress & Act Like Guys To Sell Men’s Underwear - JBS Underwear (VIDEO)

JBS mens underwear new campaign employs the slogan “Men do not want to look at naked men”. So what do they do? They use partially-nude hot females in a super naughty, super provocative maxim-like shoot that borders on softcore porn. I doubt men will argue with JBS’ choice. Well straight men at least… [More]

Hot Girls Dress & Act Like Guys (UPDATE) - New JBS Mens Underwear Ads (GALLERY)

After having to withdraw their recent ads (which you can see below) in Denmark due to heavy criticism of being discriminating to women, JBS has now released new ads for their JBS Mens Underwear line that are a bit less racy but still carry the same message and sexual undertone. JBS still insists tha… [More]

Political

Political Tape Ad - Silencing Bush, Chávez, Sócrates & Berlusconi (GALLERY)

“The world needs a tape like this.” That’s the genius tagline of the new print ad campaign for Tesa tape. Four of our recent “great” world leaders are featured with one of their pretty “smart” quotes (of which there is an abundance) with red Tesa tape used to tape their mouth shut. The campaign wa… [More]

Political Shockvertising - “Hillary Obama” to Promote University

The Photoshopped picture is from an ad put out by Hogeschool-Universiteit (HUB). The higher education institution in Brussel Belgium seeks to increase attendance by offering prospective students a college and university in one and by asking the question, “Why choose if you can combine?” That ad ph… [More]

Controversial TV Campaign - Bush is American Psycho (GALLERY)

Saatchi & Saatchi, New Zealand has created a controversial campaign to promote the TVNZ premiere of the cult thriller, American Psycho. One of the ads show a close up on American President George W. Bush with a big and clear “American Psycho” printed under it. Another ad shows the American flag crea… [More]

Movies & TV

Severed Arm Holds DVD - Guerrilla Marketing for Death Proof

Amsterdam street walkers were shocked when they found a severed arm lying down on the street. If you look closely, you’ll see this is a great examples of guerrilla marketing. The arm was holding a copy of the Death Proof DVD, the latest movie starring Quentin Tarantino. The bloody limbs was foun… [More]

Shock Advertising - Elisha Cuthbert Depicted In Gratuitous ‘Captivity’ Billboards

30 gratuitous billboards depicting abduction, torture and murder of kidnapping victims in Elisha Cuthbert’s latest movie, ‘Captivity’ have censors and concerned citizens in an uproar at the shocking content of these ads. [More]

Crap-vertising for Shock Movies - Canadian Men in Diapers (VIDEO)

This very clever parody ad would convince you that Canadian men love their diapers - until the end of the commercials and you find out the need the diapers so they can watch the all horror channel, Scream TV. Fun kiddie music, men frolicking in diapers, what could be more fun? The commercial was pro… [More]

Shock Factor Used To Boost Ratings - Courtney Cox and Jennifer Aniston Kiss! (VIDEO)

The actress Jennifer Aniston and her friend Courtney Cox surprised us with a kiss that they gave each other in the mouth for a TV series. The video is an affection touch between these two women, that after sharing lunch, they kiss before leave the restaurant.  According to information that publish… [More]

Branding & Shock Labels

Hershey’s Cocaine Packaging - Ice Breakers Pacs

The Hersheys Co. didn’t think this one through. Their Ice Breakers Pacs are packaged similarly to the way illegal drugs such as cocaine, crack, and heroin are distributed - in small, heat-sealed baggies. The candy is really a dissolvable pouch with a powdered sweetener inside. A Philadelphia Police … [More]

Agent Provocateur’s Guantánamo Bay Protest - ‘Fair Trial My Arse’ Panties

Never one to shy away from controversy, Agent Provocateur’s co-founder Joe Corre thought of a creative protest message when he discovered that members of the U.K. human rights charity Reprieve had been accused of smuggling underwear to a prisoner held at Guantánamo Bay. And out came the “Fair Trial… [More]

Assvertise / Assvertising - Exactly What You Think: Everything is a Billboard (GALLERY)

You knew this was coming, so why are you in shock?  A new company, Ass-Vertise / Assvertise is already landing new clients with its innovative human-ass billboards.  Stare at the bum of an appealing lady OR man in NYC, and you’ll find yourself reading ads, including those shown for the New York Heal… [More]

Dirty Laundry Wines - The Rise of Shock Labels

Traditional branding was based on choosing names that exude the product’s qualities and attributes.  Why bother?  That’s the attitude of many hot new companies who are choosing shocking titles for their identities.  Nowhere is this more pronounced than in the wonderful world of wine.  Here, shocking… [More]

Flap Art - Alternative Book Covers That Shock (GALLERY)

Flap Art Book Covers are shocking covers that slip on top of your book.  The covers are shure to shock with titles like: Make Your Mother a Pornstar, How to Kill a Complete Stranger, and Perfecting the Art of Fart Projection.  If you find yourself bothered by people on the subway, a book cover like … [More]

Gorilla Snot Hair Gel

I can’t figure out if this product is more for shock value or whether or not the company feels that people will put anything in their hair as long as they say it works? It’s pretty disgusting when you think about it, gorilla snot in your hair for maximum hold? And how do they get those gorilla’s to … [More]

Raunchy Wrapping Paper - Now Available for Men and Women

In 2005, we introduced you to Raunchy Wrapping Paper, just on time for the Christmas season.  Now, it appears that the erotic gift wrap is available with either men or women on the inside… Your mother will be so impressed.  The perfect gift wrap for only £3 from Suck UK. [More]

Best Rejected Advertising: Book & Website

Shock yourself, get ideas, or see what you missed.  Depending on your interest, you’ll find this site and book entertaining.
“These examples from the forthcoming book, Best Rejected Advertising Volume Three, are print ads, TV and radio commercials that prompted consumer complaints.
All campaigns ar… [More]

Shockvertising - Does It Work? Jury Still Out (GALLERY)

Can displaying a shocking, disturbing image be worth it to the public good? Shockvertising is reaching new highs, or lows, depending on your opinion. Industry experts say public-service ads are becoming more shocking than ever. The gallery includes a series of images from PSAs that have evoked a l… [More]