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# Ban-Inducing Advertising
Some Banned Superbowl 2011 Commercials Aim To Fail for Publicity

By Jordan M | Published 2011-02-04 | Updated 2011-02-06 | Pop Culture
Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/banned-super-bowl-2011-commercial
References: [msnbc.msn](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41355343/ns/business-forbescom/)

With Super Bowl ad slots hovering at around 3 million dollars this year, Forbes magazine’s Jeff Bercovici believes that some banned [Super Bowl 2011 commercials](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/skechers-no-t) were intentionally made too controversial and over-the-top to be aired.

A company who couldn’t afford the steep price tag of Super Bowl ad time, he argues, could nevertheless generate a lot of buzz with an intentionally banned Super Bowl 2011 commercial. In this way their commercial would never even need to reach television in order to reach a wide audience, even if its eventual popularity was largely reliant on its notoriety.

To check out some of Trend Hunter’s coverage of two banned Super Bowl 2011 Commercials which were very likely made with the full knowledge that they would never make it to the big game, click [here](http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fantasy-video-greetings-ad) and [here](http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/jesushatesobama-commercial).

## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter)

- Score: 6.3/10
- Popularity: 94% | Activity: 86% | Freshness: 8%
- Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women
- Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X
- Top markets: North America

## Categories

[Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Pop Culture](https://www.trendhunter.com/popculture) > [Media](https://www.trendhunter.com/media)

## Key Themes

### Key Themes Behind This Trend

- **Controversial Advertising:** Opportunity to create intentionally controversial and banned commercials for publicity.
- **Alternative Advertising Strategies:** Exploring non-traditional methods, such as intentionally banned commercials, to generate buzz and reach a wide audience.
- **Unconventional Marketing Tactics:** Using banned commercials as a means to stand out and capture attention in a saturated advertising landscape.

### Where This Applies

- **Advertising:** Opportunity for advertising agencies to push boundaries and create unconventional campaigns.
- **Entertainment:** Generating interest and publicity for TV shows, movies, or music through intentionally controversial and banned commercials.
- **Digital Marketing:** Utilizing banned commercials as a viral marketing strategy to increase brand awareness and engagement.

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