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37 Branding Blunders

Problematic Brand Strategies, from Offensive Gum to Religious Co-Branding

— October 3, 2009 — Marketing
It's a scary, unpredictable world for marketers these days and sometimes companies don't realize they've engaged in some problematic branding techniques. Other times, well, let's just say they know exactly what they're doing—and it gets results.

At any rate, here are some of the most offensive, silly, awkward, and problematic branding techniques, from inappropriate dessert branding to offensive stuffed animals.

Implications - When a brand creates ultimate shock with an advertisement or product, it gains much more attention from the consumer world. When people are shocked about something they often tell others and that is how the ad or product manages to go viral. Going viral for good or bad reasons still gets the business a huge amount of attention. Like the saying goes, "any publicity is good publicity."
6.1
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
37
Apple-izing Ordinary Objects
Apple-izing Ordinary Objects
The Kraft iSnack 2.0 Attempts to Create Cool Through PC Lingo
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36
Offensive Charity Promotions
Offensive Charity Promotions
Controversial Donation Cup Ad
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35
Offensive Cell Phone Ad Parodies
Offensive Cell Phone Ad Parodies
LOLz AT&T 'No Bars' Commercial
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34
Accidentally Offensive Branding
Accidentally Offensive Branding
Eyebrows Raise With 'Jewnail' Cosmetics' Contentious Name
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33
Religious Co-Branding
Religious Co-Branding
Catholic Mobile Phone Carrier
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32
Recession Rebranding
Recession Rebranding
RecessIsOn Pursuades Us to ‘F_ck the Recession'
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31
Microsoft Branding Blunders
Microsoft Branding Blunders
"I'm A PC" Ads Made on a Mac
<
30
Beyond Offensive Political Wear
Beyond Offensive Political Wear
Supporters Hit New Lows (NSFW)
<
29
Stupid Names Get Attention
Stupid Names Get Attention
Catchword Branding Creates: Vudu, Promptu, BooRah, ItzBig
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28
Offensive Ringtones
Offensive Ringtones
'Psycho Teddy' Tune Protested by Mental Health Charity
<
27
Cross-Promotional Fails
Cross-Promotional Fails
Burger King Un-Friends Facebook Over 'Whopper Sacrifice' Snafu
<
26
Offensive Traveling Billboards
Offensive Traveling Billboards
Aborted Fetus On Moving Truck
<
25
Catholic Cross-Branding
Catholic Cross-Branding
Boston College Fashion at Victoria's Secret
<
24
Offensive Child Toy Marketing
Offensive Child Toy Marketing
Strapya's Hip-Shaking Product Description Misses the Mark
<
23
Catastrophic Candy Branding
Catastrophic Candy Branding
Skittles Relaunches Website as Twitter Search, Offensive Tweets Ensue
<
22
Drug-Themed Eateries
Drug-Themed Eateries
'Marihuana' Restaurant in Taiwan Uses Smokin' Branding
<
21
Offensive Desk Toys
Offensive Desk Toys
Terry the Swearing Turtle
<
20
Offensive Viral Disruptions
Offensive Viral Disruptions
Pantless Streaker Dances Across Courts at Australian Open
<
19
Abbreviated Fail Branding
Abbreviated Fail Branding
Companies Named WTF, OMG & STD Could Give the Wrong Idea
<
18
Harrassvertising
Harrassvertising
Coke Bots Attack When You Buy Other Brands
<
17
Offensive Video Games
Offensive Video Games
‘Fat Princess' Outrages Feminists
<
16
Shocking Ironic Art Installations
Shocking Ironic Art Installations
Is Eugenio Merino's Damien Hirst Piece Offensive or Artist
<
15
Offensive Candy
Offensive Candy
Fat Pig Chocolate
<
14
Offensive Stuffed Animals
Offensive Stuffed Animals
SpiderCamp
<
13
Innappropriate Dessert Branding
Innappropriate Dessert Branding
The Big Gay Ice Cream Truck Roams NYC
<
12
Guerrilla Grocery Labels
Guerrilla Grocery Labels
Shop Drop Montreal Rebrands the Shopping Experience
<
11
Mega Unbrandings
Mega Unbrandings
McDonald's Abstract ‘Quarter Pounder' Store
<
10
Offensive New Yorker Covers
Offensive New Yorker Covers
Obama Loves Osama
<
9
Offensive Splash Pages
Offensive Splash Pages
Hugs for Monsters Punishes IE6 Users With Scathing Anti-Welcome
<
8
Violent & Offensive Video Games
Violent & Offensive Video Games
'Rapelay' Removed From Amazon After Public Objects
<
7
Offensive Children's Clothes
Offensive Children's Clothes
The PeanutButter Mofo TShirt
<
6
Offensive Magazine Features
Offensive Magazine Features
Rolling Stone Reports Michael Jackson's Nose Missing
<
5
Offensive Chewing Gum
Offensive Chewing Gum
Too Shy to Say It? Express Your Opinion With Chewing Gum
<
4
Offensive LEGO Figures
Offensive LEGO Figures
Shocking Toy Terrorists and Nazis
<
3
Failed Sexvertising
Failed Sexvertising
Matthew McConaughey's Film Made $36,497, Despite Gratuitous Nudity
<
2
Cheeky Packaging Designs
Cheeky Packaging Designs
Brooklyn Fare's Branding Puts the Fun in Functional
<
1
Offensive Advertising Mistakes
Offensive Advertising Mistakes
Mega Logo Blunders
<