Top 5 Controversial Ads – How Wicked Can They Get?

Watching ads can be most fun and engaging if they’re sending out the right message. However, some ads may not convey the meaning intended or may hold misleading claims. Under such circumstances they turn out to be notorious and not suitable enough for public screening. The “Get Unhooked” advertisement (2007), for example brought in a lot of complaints while the aim of the ad was to get people to quit smoking.

As many as 14080 ads were rated as controversial ads in the year 2007 which in some way were making false claims about being green and a few which seemed to depict violence. Infact, about 2458 ads were either changed or withdrawn for show by the ASA (Advertising Standards Authority) according to an annual report.

Top 5 Controversial Ads

Listed below are some top 5 controversial ads that were ever made:

• Fish Hook Ad: The ad to get the maximum complaints (774) was the fish hook ad which appeared almost everywhere from the television, internet, press and posters as part of the NHS (National Health Service) anti-smoking campaign. The ad basically described the smokers’ craving for cigarettes by having their cheeks pulled through with a fish hook. Most people’s verdict to the ad was that it was terrifying, distressing and even frightening. ASA maintained that the ad could lead to serious offences and agony in adults and kids alike. Infact, inspite of the ad having the “ex-kids restriction” that banned controversial ads to be shown in between kids/ programs, two television and poster ads depicting the same found to be both scary and upsetting for kids.
• Trident Gum Ad: This ad comes next in being the most controversial with 519 complaints against it. The ad showed people talking in Caribbean while chewing the Trident Gum. Viewers maintained that the ad was racist and was targeting the black or Caribbean culture. Though ASA did not look at the ad as a case of racial concern, it also realized that the ad managed to hurt the sentiments of a small section of the society.
• Rustlers Ad: Then came the Rustlers ad with as many as 219 complaints. The ad is basically about microwaveable burgers, one of which a couple seeks to enjoy as the lady agrees to have coffee at a man’s flat. While the woman sits on the sofa, the man presses on the microwave keypad only to find his gal twirling on the sofa and stopping only to reveal her underwear. This ad was ruled out as being offensive or controversial by ASA. However, it got the “ex-kids restriction” which disallowed such ads to be shown in between and around programs meant for children. Appearing during Bugsy Malone, a film for kids added more fuel to the fire with the complaints about scheduling the ad being supported by ASA.
• MFI Ad: The furniture giant MFI came up with advertisements that showed couples quarrelling in stores. To many it seemed like much of a hyped thing that was quiet normal to all homes. Though the ad had the ex-kids restriction, adults too felt that the ads were quiet shocking, unreal and disturbing to see. ASA advocated the complaints numbering as many as 217 in lieu of the fact that such ads like the one where a wife was shown slapping her husband on the face for laving the toilet seat open, to be promoting crime and violence in otherwise normal quarrels between couples or families.
• Quorn Ad: Marlow foods came up with the Quorn meat substitute ad that received 181 objections against it. The ad shows how a daughter refuses to eat the Quorn meat by threatening pointing a fork at her folks during a family meal. The girl goes onto use words like “touch my food – feel my fork.” Viewers maintained that it was an irresponsible move on behalf of the ad-makers who depicted an act of aggression which had the possibility of promoting offence and bullying. ASA felt otherwise, that the ad clearly portrayed things in light fun and which was quiet normal in families. In addition, ASA did not feel that the ad would encourage kids to do the same with their folks or would do them so much harm to take to offences like pointing a fork at their parents to get things done their way.

The American Academy of Pediatrics claims that on an average, kids spend 1023 hours in front of their television sets as compared to just 900 hours at school in a year. It is also speculated that on an average American kids are exposed to 200000 acts of violence on screen.

Clearly, the world of television affects a child in a big way. However, some say that sometimes crazy ads serve the purpose – “shock tactics” being the effective way to curbing alcohol abuse and excessive smoking. So, if you have to choose between the 774 complainants and the fish hook, which one do you think you’ll choose?

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7373667.stm

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