There’s good advertising that makes you convinced you can’t live without the product or service. Then, there's excellent advertising that proves it’s a form of art, just like these mind-bending and clever billboard ads.
And then, you've got hilariously bad advertising. When you see one, you know it. Whether it’s product placing that has gone wrong, a slogan that sounds way off, or an overall design that gives people second and third thoughts, these are the ad fails worthy of the prize.
So let’s buckle up for a fun ride which is basically a masterclass on how not to “create and produce an ad,” as compiled in this list by Bored Panda. Take notes, kids, it’s about to get heavy.
This post may include affiliate links.
This Ad For Graduation Photography
I Pass This Billboard Everyday And Everyday I Think He’s A Vampire
There are so many ways an advertising campaign, a billboard, a print ad, and a commercial can go wrong. But one of the greatest faux pas is “false advertising.” The term refers to ads that use misleading, dishonest, and plain “false” assumptions in their content in order to promote or market products and services.
One should remember to respect the consumers who, as a result of the ad, may feel lied to and fooled. Such negative ads rapidly create a very bad image of a brand, and it can lead to various biases about it.
As a result, sales immediately suffer and it takes ages to gain back consumers’ trust in the brand. Thus, false advertising is one of the most dangerous mistakes you can make while advertising your product and it never, ever pays off.
This Ad Placement
This looks like my phone, everything I even think about something, out of nothing come all the advertising.
I Used To Be Able To See The Towel On Her Head
Another form of unethical advertising is ads that employ misrepresentation of a product or a service in a way that use a subliminal message to fit the brand's hidden agenda. These kinds of ads often use deception and manipulation to make consumers want their product or service and believe they can't live without it.
For example, Reebok launched an infamous “Cheat On Your Girlfriend, Not Your Workout” ad campaign back to 2012 and received immediate backlash. Initially, the ad was intended to motivate consumers, but in turn, it spread the wrong message and encouraged infidelity.
This Guy Must Be Feeling Pretty Great On This Ad
I Think She Should Go To The Hospital Instead Of Booking A Flight
I tip my hat to you for that comment. If I were wearing a hat, that is. Most impressive :-)
Load More Replies...
I believe it's the sexiest of the palsy's (with apologies to Zach Anner)
Load More Replies...
This is what happens when you fly nonstop, especially to Europe. This is living it.
Geez if that's how she looks after flying non stop to Europe, just imagine what she'd look like flying direct to Australia!
Load More Replies... 
If you live in the americas I hope it's non stop! Or ya know stop in the umm... ocean....
now I’m thinking of a conversation in the cockpit: “hey Carl uh… we’re low on fuel, we need to land.” “ok I’ll land here.” “Carl that the Atlantic ocean. We don’t have those plane floater things” “Oh shut up Jim you’re only the copilot.”
Load More Replies...
Go to Europe to get free healthcare so you don't have to pay for the medical bill
This gives me trepidation’s ( I think that’s the right word)
whats the youtuber called, azzyland? this looks like her!
me: THE FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
I think that this one is pretty clever.One second you're booking on your phone and than you are already there.
She got stroke, there is free healthcare in Europe, that's why she wants to go.
Uh... what is going on here? I can't decide if she's stroking out or an optimist whom after spending 11 hours on a plane next to a screaming baby, losing her luggage and fighting jetlag hard is celebrating finally arriving in Europe or if she's the new main character in the sequel to The Shining. Lol
Uh oh looks like someone mixed their Xanax with some champagne they stole from business class... helllllllo! Flight scene from #bridesmaids
I also like how it says fly nonstop to Europe. So basically you have to fly to Europe and back nonstop forever.
girl get a doctor you be having stroke even though the message is good somebody get this girl some help
is this add for travelling or for insurance during travelling to Europe???
I guess you could say this wasn't a SMASHING success(not my best work but it works)
Also, apparently it changes half of your hair and shirt.
Load More Replies...
The sportswear brand acknowledged the ad was offensive and pulled it, as many consumers were boycotting the brand. They wrote an open letter that stated: “This form of advertising shows a dishonest and disrespectful attitude towards women and your company should be ashamed to have even placed this ad in various places thinking it would be perceived in any other way.”
Moreover, the Federal Trade Commission deemed the campaign false advertising in its unsubstantiated claims about exercise benefits, and Reebok was made to pay a $25 million fine.
Math Is Hard. Don't Let It Get You Down
Well, Now That The Floors Are Clean
A Bag Of Apples With A Character On It That Got Poisoned By An Apple
Just wondering —does anyone know what language this is/ what country it’s in?
Another controversial ad example that made a tremendous negative impact on brand image was the series of ads by Protein World released 5 years ago in London Underground. One of its posters asking "Are you beach body ready?" caused public outrage and even sparked vigilante acts of vandalism.
There were 378 official complaints regarding the body-shaming campaign filed to the UK's Advertising Standards Authority. Moreover, a petition to have the ads removed was launched, and demonstrations followed.
How Did They Not See This?
Yeah, Very Flexible
"Join Hands" To Make Hospitals "Infection Free"
I’m Certain They Could Have Used A Better Slogan
Wow! What A Bargain
If You’re Going To Use The Dumbbell As An “I” Then You Don’t Need Another “I”
In 2017, Dove released an ad clip on Facebook for Dove body wash where a black woman was pictured removing her top and morphing into a white woman after she used the product. Such portrayal was not only horrendously racist, it promoted “whitewashing” and sparked a well-deserved outrage.
Coming from a powerhouse like Dove, which, according to their slogan, champions "real beauty," the ad seriously damaged the brand's reputation.
I Followed This Bus For 4 Blocks To Wait For It To Pull Over To Share This Beautiful Work Of Art
Finally, A Shower That Works With My Broken Neck
Mother-Daughter Bonding At Its Finest
The Implication That This Tooth Has Genitals
Sometimes The Answer Is In The Box Too
Do you really need to cheat by going outside the grid AFTER you took 6 turns to your opponent’s 3?
According to the Online Marketing Institute, “bad commercials often try for a quality that the good ones have, and fall short of the mark, or else lack it completely.” And one of the worst things you can do as a brand building an ad campaign is treating your customers like fools, which “means talking down to them and trivializing their values, beliefs, or experiences.”
Bread So Emo It Slices Itself
The Brazilian Vaccination Mascot Looks Like KKK
Even though it looks creepy you have to take into account that there is no KKK in Brazil and most Brazilians wouldn't think about KKK.
I Only Saw The Left Window At First And Got Very Confused
Let God Arse
took me a minute to figure out the sword is meant to be an 'I' and it's Thursday, not even a Monday #PrayForMe
It Almost Seems Intentional
In reality, consumers are humans and a good ad needs a human touch to it to be convincing, appealing, and interesting. Sometimes, though, brands decide to take a shortcut into consumers' hearts by manipulating their feelings, which in turn results in lazy, tone-deaf, and appalling advertising disasters.
Fantastic Ad Placement
We Cut Kids
The Quotation Marks On This Sign Gives It A Malevolent Undertone
This Guy's Frog Legs Featured In An Ad
Creating a good ad is somewhat of a form of art, and although mistakes happen even to the best of us, some are forgivable, and others, not so much. In the end, the sales and brand perception tell it all.
Saw This Ad For A Shirt That’s Supposed To Say Saturday
"Hide The Pain Harold" Becomes Face Of French Coronavirus "Thank You, Heroes" Campaign
This Woman Turning Into A Fish Roll
Finally A Realistic Mannequins In Women's Lingerie Store
This Monstrosity
Found This In An Ad Today
Then Why Should I Buy One?
Hard Hats Are For Safety
This Colon Cleanse Ad Is So Bad It's Hilarious
This Ebay Advertisement For A Sleep Mask Photo Shopped Out Her Nose And Left One Nostril
This Really Odd Advertisement For Transit Around My City (Where Did The Bus Driver Come From?)
Seriously?
Yes, The Earth
That’s A Pokemon In The Bag
This Library Poster
Looking at these ads, i'm sure they're smoking something. Maybe a clichee but a true one. 😂😂
Ah Yes, China, My Favorite Food
Actually, On Second Thought, I’m Not So Hungry
Enjoy A Nice Massage In A Moving Car With Your Eyes Closed
Probably It's More Convenient This Way
Why Would Red Block When He Could Win?
Me And My Clones On The Job
Note: this post originally had 87 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.
My stomach hurts from trying NOT to laugh as much!
Load More Replies...
Boredpanda comment section seems to be getting a little poisonous. Not everyone is good at english, and some people make mistakes. But people just rush to that particular post's comment section and explode about how the OP were shitty people. Bro, you came here to chill, so just do that. Don't show off your righteousness here.
"In 2017, Dove released an ad clip on Facebook for Dove body wash where a black woman was pictured removing her top and morphing into a white woman" um no. do your homework. that ad showed different women with each shirt pull. stop making s**t racist that absolutely isnt.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/south-dakota-s-meth-we-re-it-campaign-funny-state-n1086071 An official state sponsored campaign in South Dakota.
This was excellent! I came here looking for material for a student and ended up getting a good laugh. Well put together and well captioned!
Some if them really make u wonder. Cluelessness or extremely dark humor?
Seriously have tears running down my face 😂 Haven't laughed this hard in a long time
These could be worse, at least they're not insulting . . . just dumb. I am old enough to remember some really horrible advertisements... men spanking their wives for buying the wrong coffee...the "my wife, I think I'll keep her" campaign for Geritol and the whole "happy women in pearls and heels dancing while scrubbing toilets" thing they did back then.
My stomach hurts from trying NOT to laugh as much!
Load More Replies... Boredpanda comment section seems to be getting a little poisonous. Not everyone is good at english, and some people make mistakes. But people just rush to that particular post's comment section and explode about how the OP were shitty people. Bro, you came here to chill, so just do that. Don't show off your righteousness here.
"In 2017, Dove released an ad clip on Facebook for Dove body wash where a black woman was pictured removing her top and morphing into a white woman" um no. do your homework. that ad showed different women with each shirt pull. stop making s**t racist that absolutely isnt.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/south-dakota-s-meth-we-re-it-campaign-funny-state-n1086071 An official state sponsored campaign in South Dakota.
This was excellent! I came here looking for material for a student and ended up getting a good laugh. Well put together and well captioned!
Some if them really make u wonder. Cluelessness or extremely dark humor?
Seriously have tears running down my face 😂 Haven't laughed this hard in a long time
These could be worse, at least they're not insulting . . . just dumb. I am old enough to remember some really horrible advertisements... men spanking their wives for buying the wrong coffee...the "my wife, I think I'll keep her" campaign for Geritol and the whole "happy women in pearls and heels dancing while scrubbing toilets" thing they did back then.
