Ideas
Explore the world's #1 largest database of ideas and innovations, with 477,692 inspiring examples.
Trend Reports
Discover why 1,285 brands rely on our AI-powered Trend Reports to get better, faster insights.
Newsletter
Join 107,665 subscribers who rely on our weekly newsletter to keep up with need-to-know trends and insights.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
Consumer Insights
Uncover major shifts and emerging opportunities with our exclusive PRO research.
Trend Reports
Discover why 1,285 brands rely on our AI-powered Trend Reports to get better, faster insights.
Newsletter
Join 107,665 subscribers who rely on our weekly newsletter to keep up with need-to-know trends and insights.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
Advisory & Services
Accelerate innovation and ignite disruptive thinking with our award-winning programs and research.
Trend Reports
Get fast, customized trend reports, presentations and deep dives 20x faster than traditional research.
Plans
Get started today with a free consultation, our self-serve tools, or a dedicated program.
Articles & Magazine
Get inspired with our 4,232 innovation strategy articles, keynote, videos and innovation tools.
Innovation Awards
Trend Hunter’s Innovation Strategy Awards recognize the best innovation tactics gathered from our interviews with some of the world's most notable business leaders, authors and change makers.
Advisory & Services
Accelerate innovation and ignite disruptive thinking with our award-winning programs and research.
Innovation Assessment
Enhance your innovation potential with a deeper understanding of your unique innovation archetype and how your organization benchmarks.
FuturistU
Prepare for the years ahead with 100+ lessons, tactics, tools and frameworks with our full learning database.
Innovation Books
Join 20,000,000 people getting better and faster with our New York Times Bestselling books and keynote videos.
Jeremy Gutsche
Ignite your event or virtual event with our CEO, a NY Times Bestselling Author and one of the top innovation keynote speakers.
Our Team of Speakers & Virtual Presenters
Inspire your group with our most popular speakers on innovation, trends, change and futurism.
Custom Training & Events
Bring the Future Festival experience directly to your team or co-hosted custom event.
Custom Masterclasses
Join the world's leading brands who leverage our custom programs to accelerate innovation.
FuturistU 5-Day Program
Become a Futurist with our immersive 5-Day program at Future Festival World Summit.
Online eLearning
Learn the fundamentals of futurism and trends with 100+ online courses about innovation.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
Contact
Get in touch to learn more, ask a question or submit a tip.
About Us
Learn more about Trend Hunter and how we accelerate innovation.
Follow-Us
Join our 3,500,000 social media followers, on the cutting edge.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
FAQ
Get answers to common questions about Trend Hunter.
Community
Stay on the cutting-edge with the help of the Trend Hunter community.
Team
Meet the team trusted by hundreds of leading businesses worldwide.
Jobs
Find opportunities to accelerate your career with the #1 Trend Firm.
News
Catch up on noteworthy Trend Hunter news and media mentions.
Join
Build a portfolio and put your trend-spotting abilities to the test.
Advertising
Supercharge your marketing by partnering with Trend Hunter.
Portfolio
Visit your public portfolio and browse your past articles.
Add a Trend
Write up an article and showcase your trend-spotting skills.
My Trends
Edit your articles and see how they stack up on the leaderboards.
Settings
Edit your profile, connect your social media accounts, and more.
Add a trend, customize your dashboard, or track topics.
Future Festival
Innovation Events
Join the world's top innovators at our in person events.
Free Webinars
Learn to innovate through chaos, navigate the new normal and maintain work culture from home.
Custom Training & Events
Bring the Future Festival experience directly to your team or co-hosted custom event.
Search our database of 477,692 cutting edge ideas.

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
<
36
Offensive Charity Promotions
Offensive Charity Promotions
Controversial Donation Cup Ad
<
35
Offensive Cell Phone Ad Parodies
Offensive Cell Phone Ad Parodies
LOLz AT&T 'No Bars' Commercial
<
34
Accidentally Offensive Branding
Accidentally Offensive Branding
Eyebrows Raise With 'Jewnail' Cosmetics' Contentious Name
<
33
Religious Co-Branding
Religious Co-Branding
Catholic Mobile Phone Carrier
<
32
Recession Rebranding
Recession Rebranding
RecessIsOn Pursuades Us to ‘F_ck the Recession'
<
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
<
28
Offensive Ringtones
Offensive Ringtones
'Psycho Teddy' Tune Protested by Mental Health Charity
<
27
Catholic Cross-Branding
Catholic Cross-Branding
Boston College Fashion at Victoria's Secret
<
26
Offensive Child Toy Marketing
Offensive Child Toy Marketing
Strapya's Hip-Shaking Product Description Misses the Mark
<
25
Offensive Traveling Billboards
Offensive Traveling Billboards
Aborted Fetus On Moving Truck
<
24
Cross-Promotional Fails
Cross-Promotional Fails
Burger King Un-Friends Facebook Over 'Whopper Sacrifice' Snafu
<
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 Viral Disruptions
Offensive Viral Disruptions
Pantless Streaker Dances Across Courts at Australian Open
<
20
Offensive Desk Toys
Offensive Desk Toys
Terry the Swearing Turtle
<
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
Innappropriate Dessert Branding
Innappropriate Dessert Branding
The Big Gay Ice Cream Truck Roams NYC
<
13
Offensive Stuffed Animals
Offensive Stuffed Animals
SpiderCamp
<
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
<