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50 Hilarious Advertising Fails You Might Find Hard To Believe Were Actually Approved (New Pics)
Mad Men almost managed to convince the world that marketing was made by clever folks in swanky offices, discussing and debating the ins and outs of human wants and needs. Certainly, sometimes that is the case. But there are a lot more ads and companies out there than there are competent marketers.
We’ve gathered some of the most unhinged, cursed and hilarious advertisement fails from across the world. So get comfortable as you scroll through, upvote your favorites and be sure to share your thoughts in the comments below.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Anti-Smoking Ad Accidentally Recommends Quitting The Wrong Thing
Andrew Irish 1 year ago
Somebody noticed when this was being applied. They either super don't care to an almost impressive degree of apathy, or it cracked them up.
Loudawg76 1 year ago
As a kiwi (this is an NZ advert), I can guarantee they knew and thought it was just too funny to fix 🤣🤣
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Nate Anderson 1 year ago
The school part is on a hinge so it can be folded down when the bus isn't in service for schools. Still very funny though.
Pandamonium Pandas Pandie 1 year ago
I think they noticeed and made a correction attempt Screenshot...7a5490.png 
Corvus 1 year ago
Makes sense - ignorance is the "cool" thing nowadays, and all those educated losers are just "woke." /s
RELATED:
#2
Chinese Hair Salon Uses Google Translate To Create An Advertising Banner, But Seems Like Their WiFi Was Down
Zephyr 1 year ago
That's why it's good to double check with another app when translating languages
Nikole 1 year ago
And to have the translation translated back to the original language.
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Mary Peace 11 months ago
1. "Ooh, I like your hair, where did you get it done?" 2. "I went to 'Could not connect'." Silence.
#3
Oh Good, Didn’t Want To Misplace It!
Geoffrey Scott 1 year ago
Not surprisingly it appears Verizon values their employees about as much as they do customers.
There is a distinctive difference between cheap, unimaginative ads and marketing so terrible that it actively diminishes your brand’s image. Take, for example, a 2015 ad from Bloomingdales, which included the line “Spike your best friend’s eggnog when they’re not looking.”
This is the sort of thing that absolutely begs the question, how did someone think this was ok? Their PR did issue an apology and, in a show of maturity, didn’t just blame it on some rogue marketer. However, the folks calling the shots at Bloomingdales did also approve of this ad, so that raises some questions.
#4
This Habitat For Humanity Van
Cpt. Christan "Panda Bombero" 12 months ago
You meant; Habitat for Humanity Serial Killers van.
#5
If There Is An Award For Advertising, I'm Sure This One Ain't Up For It
glowworm2 1 year ago
It's like there's an expiration date for children and you need to cremate them when they become teenagers.
CK 1 year ago
I assume this is some kind of print error? And these were supposed to be two different ads?
quentariel 1 year ago
That's the only even remotedly acceptable explanation for this.
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Premislaus de Colo 1 year ago
Like... what was the idea behind this? She's getting old, so start thinking about cremation? Pedo vibes too
Rattical Red 1 year ago
Cremation is just such a weird service to advertize. What do they expect? "Oh, yea, grandma's body is still in the freezer, guess we should call these guys, it's about time." Or more like "Oh man, grandma just died, what are we going to do? Wait, I saw this newspaper ad yesterday..."
Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 1 year ago
How could someone think this was a good idea for a cremation service?
#6
Billboard My Wife Found In Indiana
Michael Largey 1 year ago
The only way to stop a bad fetus with a gun is a good fetus with a gun.
RedMarbles 1 year ago
The bottom one isn't a great ad even on its own. I guess it's saying the right to life (rather than fingers) is for everyone, but I can't help seeing an unspoken "except for you pregnant mothers, unless we're really, really sure you're about to expire, and even then we're ok with you first needing to locate a provider that isn't afraid to save you. Good luck." How we got here when the majority of human beings in our democracy does not want this is perpetually disheartening.
Some companies will “show” just how much they trust their products by putting themselves at risk. The manufacturers of bulletproof glass come to mind, standing behind their product as someone tests a gun. Very little room for fails here. In 2006, Todd Davis, CEO of LifeLock, a company that sold data protection services put out an ad with his actual social security number.
#7
Boldly Going Where No Man Has Gone Before
Kylie 1 year ago
A lot of these supposed bad ads aren't. It's just bad or not thought out placement.
Janissary35680 1 year ago
But this one has GOT to be deliberate. But not on the part of the advertising agency. XD
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#8
‘Oilyfans’ Billboards Show Bp Chief Executive Topless After Earning £10 Million
Cpt. Christan "Panda Bombero" 12 months ago
Why is this a fail? This is basically showing this person, as he actually is, a CWOHS Muck Fuppet.
Mike Rodrick 1 year ago
These are the people trump promised deregulation in exchange for a billion dollars.
#9
This Ad For Teeth Whitening
Premislaus de Colo 1 year ago
If you look at the slogan you'll see that this is intentional and eye-catching, so this doesn't really fit here
Bookworm 1 year ago
It is, but it's also super creepy, which is probably not the intention, so still a fail.
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Joy 1 year ago
It's designed to make you look. It's certainly memorable and that's what ads are all about. Some canny marketeers are even now including 'typos'.
TiNaBoNiNa 1 year ago
That will just backfire. The way many people spell, they probably wouldn't notice and figure that's the correct way to spell it.
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The gist was simple, LifeLock’s services were, according to Todd Davis, so effective, that even with his SSN plastered across billboards, scammers and fraudsters would still not be able to do anything. It probably won’t come as a surprise that his identity was stolen over 13 times, and, to add insult to injury, he was made to pay multiple false advertising fines. If your ad is so bad the FTC has to get involved, you messed up.
#10
But... Where Did The Snowflake Come From??
Bookworm 1 year ago
Probably not, that's a reputable brand. Might need to hire new graphic designers though.
Load More Replies... Mike Rodrick 1 year ago
The flake is obviously on the bottom plate. I saw others like this with different designs.
quentariel 1 year ago
Besides tge pattern, the top is bigger than the bottom anyway. So it's a bad mash image of two waffle makers.
#11
I See Your Car Doors And Bus Windows, And Give You This
Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 1 year ago
The text on the left hand side is reversed. I suspect it was a manufacturing mistake.
#12
This Large Billboard Of A Random Goat
#13
Got The Copy Done For That Billboard
Heidi Black 1 year ago
I've seen this one, and it's actually subtly clever - it's 4 "words" which can be both forwards and a stand in for "will you marry me?" (4 important words)
Branden Combs 1 year ago
This might actually be legit. This company is known for their interesting ads.
#14
Whoopsie, Shanghai Uses Wrong Poster (Fanmade) To Promote Thor Movie
#15
That Is Not How That Works
Patrick Linnen 1 year ago
Not the first time to have a before and after picture without a dividing line.
#16
Flew Into Dia The Other Day And Saw This Ad. They're Leaning Into It The Conspiracies And I Am *here* For It
Wingsofwrath 1 year ago
Aaaaah, Denver. Definitely leaning into the silly conspiracy theories about their airport, I've seen several adverts in the same vein.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 1 year ago
I would put a print of it on the wall of my house for sure!
Load More Replies... Cpt. Christan "Panda Bombero" 12 months ago (edited)
Wonderful ad! I see a Doctor Who episode in this!
a person who likes books 11 months ago
they already did but for lizard people
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#17
This Ad I Saw Knocking Prince Andrew
Janissary35680 1 year ago
This is not so much "advertising failure" as "advertising as political/social criticism".
diehardswiftie 1 year ago
where do you think the dude with the red sunnies looking? somewhere over the rainbow?
#18
That's A Lot Of Legs For Three Women
TiNaBoNiNa 1 year ago
Well, yeah! Didn't you know that all women naturally have more legs than men?
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arthbach 1 year ago
This is not a fail. Clearly, the legs are a separate image from the heads. It is not meant to be a continuous image.
Ace 1 year ago
Yes, obviously it's not supposed to be the same picture but it's still a 'fail' in that it looks cráp.
Load More Replies... #19
Choose Asia. Choose Wrong
#20
This Ad Caught My Eyes
#21
Advertising Ethical Business
arthbach 1 year ago
A period after 'job creation' would have been grand. Then add 'Fighting' before 'human trafficking', and suddenly you have an excellent sign.
Leslie Victor 1 year ago
This is a hoax! Look at the guy...he looks like an out of work stock broker
#22
Put Up The Advertisement Boss
#23
That Face
#24
This Billboard Literally Makes No Sense
Bookworm 1 year ago
Maybe the idea is that this naked man might be caring for your mom, which is why you should go to their all female facility instead?
zovjraar me 1 year ago
my mum's a lesbian, so she wouldn't be impressed. if i ever need care, though...
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DogMomInVT 1 year ago
My mom just spent 3 weeks in rehab. She would have appreciated a male stripper nurse.
Leslie Victor 1 year ago
I think we should all get in the car and go there, I'll bring the margaritas
Gossameringue 8 months ago
If this guy is taking care of my mom, she doesn't want to go anywhere else.
#25
Maybe Not The Best Two Billboards Right Next To Each Other... Just Sayin
#26
This Ad
Feathered Dinosaur 1 year ago
It doesn't matter if he was, because we're still around. Even though we (almost) never went to church
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David Morgan 1 year ago (edited)
I'd be happy to introduce a few velociraptors to, say, the Westborough Baptist church congregation meetings. Hey, if God is really on your side, there won't be any problem, right? If he isn't, I've done the world a favour.
Mary Peace 11 months ago
I'm not near Westborough Baptist Church (happen to attend a Baptist Church near me in the UK) but if you round up your velociraptors and the worst happens, at least they and we know where we're going, we'll be in heaven with God anyway. (It's just the hurty bit we won't like.)
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B Jones 1 year ago
Well we don't absolutely know they didn't go to a church, they could've been built of wood and nothing remains.
Feathered Dinosaur 1 year ago
But we worshipped the great sky dragon, and not an elderly primate with less hair than most other apes
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Janissary35680 1 year ago (edited)
One of my favorite correlation/causation fallacies is "The sale of winter clothing in New York City is highly correlated with average daily temperatures in Glasgow".
Load More Replies... Nonna_SoF 1 year ago
I do appreciate the syncretism of early Christian preacher trying to convert the Norse. Basically they tried to convince them that Ragnarök had already happened and the bible was the sequel to Norse mythology.
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#27
At A Local Library. Have No Idea What’s Going On
Rattical Red 1 year ago (edited)
More like someone painted it. You know, like Microsoft Paint-ed.
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Mary Peace 11 months ago
I feel sorry for librarians (if they have them here) because everyone who walks past that must ask what it means!
#28
Somebody Didn't Have His Coffee
#29
The Menopause; It's Natural, Irish And Genuinely Works
#30
People Will Never Learn To Not Put Faces In Corners
Michael Largey 1 year ago
Checks out, considering the look on my face when I get myself in a corner.
#31
Interesting Billboard On My Way To Work
#32
Put Up That Ad For You Boss
WubiDubi 1 year ago
Or passenger pilots who give in to the call of the void.
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Sven Grammersdorf 1 year ago
I saw an upside-down billboard in Fort Wayne not too long ago and I still can't figure out why
Debbie Chamness 1 year ago
I saw it too! For Ft Wayne Trees. Bothered me so much I looked it up, apparently this is a new trend to stand put among all the billboards. ,
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Danielle Hardesty 12 months ago
Done intentionally to prove people actually see billboards, every time the number is called to tell them their sign is upside down, proof it worked.
#33
I Don't Even Have The Words
StarCrossedFriday 1 year ago
You’re right, ‘um’ is the natural reaction to this
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Johnny McFearless 1 year ago
It's completely Christian and in line with the bible. Remember Lot and his daughters?
Spring Fisk 1 year ago
eeeewww haha. To be fair, it was describing behavior that God did not condone.
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Nikole 1 year ago
For a second I even thought that was the name of the store.
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DC 1 year ago
"Daddy", "Baby", ... is just about the grossest thing in that department. Exceeds my yikesibility a tad too far.
char 1 year ago
"baby" has a different meaning and is acceptable... but the "daddy" "mommy" stuff continues to give me the ick
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Cpt. Christan "Panda Bombero" 12 months ago (edited)
Ummm... Did they mean their "Daddies"? Uck, I actually cringed and threw up a little, just typing that.
#34
I Live In Ghana. This Billboard Is On A Highway Near My House
Adrienne FWB 1 year ago
Surely this is a fake - "whiles" driving? Or someone is worse at editing than advertising.
Janissary35680 1 year ago
The latter. "Whilst" (pronounced with the vowel sound in "aisle") is commonly used in British English instead of "while". The conjunction of the final "t" sound in "whilst" and the inital "d" sound in "driving" often results in the loss of one or the other in *speech* so "whilst driving" becomes "whiles driving" or "while striving". Kind of like "forest strangers" and "forest rangers".
Load More Replies... Corvus 1 year ago
We have this Rotary Club thing in my hometown too. I never imagined they have a Ghana branch too.
Janissary35680 1 year ago
Lots of branches just about everywhere: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotary_International
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#35
This Billboard Has A Clear Message That #sanjose Can't Ignore
Pernille 1 year ago
PETA really has gone batshit insane, how can anyone take them seriously anymore?
Becky Samuel 1 year ago
They wrote a letter of complaint to a traditional country pub in England recently saying that they should change their name because it was prejudiced against foxes. The pub is called "The Sly Old Fox".
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Glix Drap 1 year ago
In the UK they want a pub renamed from the Old Sly Fox to the Old Clever Fox because the word sly is derogatory to foxes.
RedMarbles 1 year ago
"Old" is pretty rude, peta. Disgusting way to refer to an animal. /s
Load More Replies... Bookworm 1 year ago
That apparently 'feminism' also applies to female chickens, which is insane
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somnomania (she/her, queer) 1 year ago
i guess peta doesn't understand how chickens work, just like the vegans who think honey is stolen from bees and therefore abusive
#36
This Ad
Cpt. Christan "Panda Bombero" 12 months ago
What CWOHS advertisings muck fuppets, not only thought this was a good idea, but actually presented and got approval for this?!
#37
Bus Ad That Seems To Be Advertising Human Trafficking
#38
Another Unattainable Body Portrayed In Advertising
Steve Robert 1 year ago
Sometimes, the magician trick doesn't work. At least she found another job.
#39
Taste The Feeling Of Cr*ppy Lenticular Design
Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 1 year ago
This is one of those old lenticular prints. We had stickers and toys that did this in the 80s and 90s.
#40
Goeye Rgelash
David Morgan 1 year ago
I thought he played striker for Tottenham Hotspur...
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Featherking 1 year ago
… Ex ous ten sion. That sounds like something an exorcist would say while dousing the possessed with holy water. “Be gone, demon! The power of GOD compels you! Ex ous ten sion! I cast thee out, fiend from hell!”
#41
Drove Past This Malfunctioning Billboard Outside A Major Sports Stadium
M B 1 year ago
Trying to figure our how you know this bsod happened on a win2k
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#42
“I Put That Billboard Up, Boss!”
Serena Myers 1 year ago
I've got "roaming distance" and "Total freedom" and possibly "Calling" so far, I'm working on it, lol!
Funhog 1 year ago
"Nationwide Calling!" "Total Freedom" "No roaming long distance charges! Call today! 1-800-Alltel-9"
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#43
I Don't Think Mirrors Work Like That
#44
As Campaign In Munich For The Euro Championship
Rachel Pelz 11 months ago
Manuel Neuer. When you walked there -tunnel connecting underground lines- it did look kinda cool. Kinda.
#45
An Ad On A Game I'm Playing. The More You Look. Not Sure What The Goal Of The Advertiser Was With The Editing Of This Photo, But This Is An Ad For Vacations
Lowrider 56 1 year ago
I don't think we have much to worry about regarding AI..... at least not yet.
Jon Mock 1 year ago
Are you kidding? It's this bad now and it seems to fool far too many people. We may not have a lot to worry about with AI, humans on the other hand have me worried.
Load More Replies... BewilderedBanana 1 year ago
My guess is someone tried to remove a watermark, without much success :)
Binky Melnik 9 months ago
I think it’s an ad warning people that throuples’ DNA can make for some seriously handicapped kids, though they mightta found better-looking people for the throuple (well, the one in the middle, anyway; she seems to be the source of the kids’ problems).
#46
There Wan An Attempt To Advertise
#47
This Shopped Car At The Mazda Booth At The Portland International Auto Show
#48
Cool New Ad!
Maria Evripidou 12 months ago
these buffle me Isnt there a review of the ad before it's printed? AFter it's printed before it's put up????
#49
They Should Have Mirrored Her On The Other Side
Rachel Pelz 11 months ago
Actually this seems to be at a university, the office where you register for exam. Students may not notice anything's odd, due to either partying or studying night and day.
#50
Saw This At My Local Car Dealer
#51
My Doctor Has The Oddest Old Posters In His Waiting Room
Bookworm 1 year ago
This poster seems to be a 1998 print advertising the printing press KBA, based on a 1975 poster. Guessing the idea behind the printers ad was something like, 'Look, this drawing came to life as a photo, just like we can bring your prints to life!' But yeah, it was never okay, just less socially punished.
Load More Replies... David Morgan 1 year ago
Setting aside the bizarre and super-inappropriate imagery, what possible service is this an advert for? Opthalmologists? Gynaecologists? Child psychologists? People who treat slap-shaped bruises on child faces?
Boris Long-Johnson 1 year ago
Ooh I thought they only had those type of adds in the staff room at the BBC nowadays
#52
Is Your Child A Cannibal?
Lesbitarian Lady 11 months ago
"To be there" added on the end would have really made the point
#53
Facts Spotted In South Texas
Premislaus de Colo 1 year ago
This is not a bad ad. This in fact is a brilliant ad contrasting pride of being a Texan with sad reality of infant mortalities
RedMarbles 1 year ago
Texas is falling. Will be interesting to see the 2023 figures. No doubt VW will be up in arms over any further falling in the ranks.
Load More Replies... Lesbitarian Lady 11 months ago
Don't forget the mother's dying from not being able to get emergency care
#54
Unremoved Movie Poster Makes This Look Like An Animated Horror Movie
#55
Saw This At A Bus Stop. I'd Say It's AI But The Hands Are Normal
Gandalf the Pink 1 year ago
I think the A+Z 21 indicates this is an artwork, a strange one but still
Rattical Red 1 year ago (edited)
No, this is photoshopped - eyes and mouths are vertically flipped. The idea is that if you turn it upside down, the faces suddenly appear normal despite that. Since that "A+Z 21" near the bottom is also upside down, I wonder if this was actually mounted upside down, too. I have no idea what the purpose is tho.
Load More Replies... #56
Passed This Driving Through LA. I Thought It Was A Movie Poster
#57
A Catalog For A Clothing Company I Once Worked At. How Was This Cover Ever Approved?
Fakeus nameus 1 year ago
The ad execs literally just asked for two aryans and hitlers granddaughter
#58
This Poster Has Wrinkled In It's Stand Rather Amusing Way
#59
Was Shopping For Shoes Then I Saw This Model In The Picture
Serena Myers 1 year ago
One of each, just in the wrong place as if the model for the pic had her legs crossed!
Load More Replies... #60
One Of The Shops Outside Local Mall. I Don't Even Know
#61
I Swear I At First Thought This Was An Ad Telling You To Go Shoot Old People
Rattical Red 1 year ago
I'm trying to understand... are they calling old rifles senior citizens? And what purpose is that, that a silenced old rifle can serve?
Angela Corvaia 1 year ago
From the movie Dumb and Dumber. Lloyd says it to an older woman in a scooter when asking if she ill watch his beer.
#62
These Spa Photos Look Like A Scary Squished Baby Face
#63
Ad For Bubble Tea In Sydney
Janissary35680 1 year ago
Billboard ad by a jeans manufacturer in Turkey showed a hunky dude dressed in jeans with his hands just about to unbuckle his belt. The only text is a single word in big red letters: "İNDİRirİM". "İndirim" (without the second "ir") means "Discount" or "Sale" while "İndiririm" means something like "I'll lower or pull them down".
Load More Replies... #64
This Real Ad That Reads Like A Cards Against Humanity Entry
#65
This Ad Says That Osteoporosis Has No Symptoms, Then Lists The First Symptom
#66
This Double Sided Poster In The Sunlight
#67
This Poster At My School.... Idk, It Just Seems Weird
#68
This Billboard Was Installed Upside Down
#70
This Westfield Mall Ad Looks Like This Girl Is Taking A Dump
#71
Nobody Is Wearing A Watch In This Watch Ad
#72
This Asthma Awareness Poster
#74
I Set Up The Billboard, Boss
#77
The Model In This Advertisement For Macy's Was Wearing 2 Pairs Of Glasses
Jan Rosier 1 year ago
Well off course, she is. One to keep her hair up and a second one to protect her eyes !
#78
This Billboard I Found In NYC
quentariel 1 year ago (edited)
Finally an ad that gives exactly what it promises.
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#79
The Bloke In This Tesco Poster Is Terrifying. I Wonder What Is Actually Going On Here. It Looks Like Someone Is Being Threatened With A Pizza!
#80
The Review And Rating For This New Play Isn't For The Play It's Advertising
David Morgan 1 year ago
Wow, that's low. Bizarre that if they are happy to lie by implication, they still abide by the 'truth in advertising' regulations. What a bunch of cowards.
#81
An Attempt To Advertise A Special
Bill Swallow 1 year ago
Read it again. They give you $2 in return for you giving them $5.
Load More Replies... #82
The Attention To Detail Is Unreal
#83
Saw Someone Familiar On A Billboard, But It Looks Like She Had A Stroke
#84
This Poster Placement
#86
There Was An Attempt To Hang A Poster
#87
A Local Vaccination Clinic Has The File Name Printed On Their Billboard
#88
Something Scary Happened To Their Feet
#89
Did The Billboard Boss
#90
Billboard Is Up
#92
I Put Up The Toy Story 1 Poster Boss
Rattical Red 1 year ago
Like with pretty much all Disney movies that have sequels.
Load More Replies... #93
Someone Clearly Doesn't Know How Layers Work
Serena Myers 1 year ago
"We live here in a lovely detached house yet close to the Randstad" Randstad is a recruitment agency?
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Add New Image
What do you think ?
nana theater 1 year ago
Obviously the editor has no idea what the difference is between very bad ads and very good ads.
nana theater 1 year ago
Obviously the editor has no idea what the difference is between very bad ads and very good ads.
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