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65 Times Ads Failed Spectacularly, Yet Gave People A Brilliant Reason To Laugh Out Loud
As someone who worked in marketing before, I am well aware of the painful process behind a brilliant ad. From ideation to execution, it takes skill and luck as well. Honestly, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, and marketing campaigns often fail to grip their target audience.
Speaking of bad ads, there are many out there that were actually approved and made public. Some turned out unintentionally hilarious, while others crossed the line into weird. The r/AdvertisingFails community has an amusing collection of these ads. We have put together the wildest ones below that will make you laugh or question the marketing manager. Scroll down to check them out!
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#2
Commas Are Free. Feel Free To Use Them As Needed
#3
It's Great To See Citizens Active In Politics
I can remember a lot of brilliant ads done by Nike. Whether it’s TV commercials or billboards, they effortlessly grab attention, which is exactly what a good ad is supposed to do. They seem to have a really talented marketing team that does a wonderful job connecting with the target audience.
Then there are the really terrible ads that, far from making an impression, annoy people more. In fact, more than eight in 10 U.S. consumers (81%) say they try to ignore and tune out ads, according to a Gartner survey.
#4
Do You Know What A Venn Diagram Is?
#5
Next Time, Put The Milk In The Cereal Bowl
So why do some ads become big hits while others are labeled terrible? For instance, let’s look at McDonald’s advert about a boy mourning the loss of his father. They were going for emotional storytelling.
But they faced massive backlash for trivializing something traumatic. They were accused of trying to make money by using grief to sell food, which didn’t sit right with many customers.
#7
Chinese Insoles
#8
Hilarious Ads
LakotaWolf (she/her) 11 hours ago
I hadn't thought about it until now, but look: the bigoted, homophobic, exclusionary company has its entire ad campaign structured around being bigoted and exclusionary towards chickens (since they are acceptable to eat, but the clever, clearly intelligent cows are not.) Never realized before that their entire "ha ha so clever" ad campaign is a mirror, in a sense, of how terrible the company behind Chick-fil-a is.
#9
Meanwhile At Home Depot
Then there are racist ads that fail immediately. For example, NIVEA’s print ad claimed: “White is Purity.” People extensively criticized it for mirroring historically racist ideas about whiteness as being pure and non-whiteness as being impure. They drew a lot of negative public and media attention for this one, so they ended up withdrawing the whole campaign just 2 days after release.
#10
Phbbt! Something Is Suspicious About This Copper Supplier
Kira Okah 12 hours ago
Hehe, I want this now :P For anyone who doesn't know: Ea-nāṣir was an Mesopotamian (from Larsa, which at the time was an independent city-state, don't know which side of Hammurabi's conquest of Larsa he lived so I will not call him Babylonian) copper merchant who apparently sold really bad quality copper. We know this because we found all of his complaint letters stashed in what is believed to have been his house.
#11
"God Is Now Here," I Think
Some brands also underestimate customer loyalty. Take Jaguar’s rebranding that happened in 2024. To signal its shift to an electric future, the brand introduced a new identity.
The leaping Jaguar logo was replaced with a minimalist monogram, which clearly didn’t represent the luxury British carmaker very well. Not only did this rebranding fail miserably, but the company also saw a staggering collapse in sales as well.
#13
Someone At Kroger Doesn't Know How Air Fryers Work
#14
Such A Good Deal!
#15
Answer: No
Riani Kivela 12 hours ago
My yo-yo loach is awfully clever and active. I would have to test it.
With AI taking over the world, we can’t really ignore how its use can make ads fail terribly. I am talking about Levi’s AI-generated model campaign that came out in 2023. The brand partnered with Lalaland.ai, which creates AI models. Apparently, Levi’s wanted to improve diversity in its digital product imagery and make online shopping more inclusive.
However, people were furious that instead of using real diverse models, they turned to AI. Their inauthenticity sparked backlash, not just from customers, but also from the fashion industry.
#16
I’m Not Sure If They Were Trying To Do This, But If Not, It Looks Horrible
#17
Injury Lawyers
#18
Guaranteed Reduced Quality
Before the digital age, it might have been easy to correct these failed campaigns. But today, once they go online, they stay there forever. I mean, “going viral” can be terrific, but it can also be terrible for brands if the ad fails.
A small mistake from the marketing team can become a global issue, leading to a long-term brand crisis and a permanent mark on it.
#19
You Can Get One On Amazon For $29.99
#20
Amazing!
#21
What? The Other Ones Can Hear Us?
Andrew Keir 6 hours ago
How would we know? Tell her a joke in Sign Language, see if she laughs ?
According to content marketer Kathryn Bouchard, companies should build a simple proofing step in their workflow. Weird phrasing and embarrassing typos can derail an entire marketing campaign. She also advises them to be culturally aware and avoid being tone-deaf.
When brands lose touch with the social context and humorize situations, it can seem exploitative. They should look at their ads from multiple angles. If a topic is touchy, it can be very subjective, she continues. Sacrificing brand value for a few laughs is not really worth the backlash.
#22
Please Place A Comma After The Word Out
#23
That’s A Lot
#24
You Read My Mind!
Bouchard also highlights that timing is everything and brands should keep a close eye on current events. Campaigns are often planned months in advance, so it’s easy to overlook tragic events. She claims that during disasters, it’s often better to pause your messaging to show empathy, rather than using it as a PR opportunity.
Lastly, she advises that a successful campaign comprises clear objectives and goals, a defined target audience, attention-grabbing content, and monitoring results for optimization.
“The bottom line is, before you publish, post, or print, take a close look at your message. Review your campaign in terms of the current social context. And always get an educated second opinion before publishing or going live,” she concludes.
#26
I Heard That Your Mother Found A New Restaurant That She Likes
#27
Verizon Thinks We Throw Away Our Christmas Trees Away With The Decorations Still On
Well, all brands make mistakes, but sometimes, when the mistakes are harmless and actually funny, they can also give brands more visibility. After all, people love something quirky, and when these hilarious ads go viral, they draw in more attention.
Which one from this list do you think did that? Give it an upvote or tell us about it in the comments below!
#28
"I'm Not Paying To Haul Away These Lion Statues From The Old Chinese Restaurant That Was Here Before Us."
#29
A Measuring Stick That Does Not Touch The Ground At All
#30
Rethink The Concept
#31
AI Is At Least Making Ads Interesting, Incomprehensible, But Interesting
#32
Am I Wrong That Vaguely Referencing A Movie From 2006 Is A Dumb Way To Advertise?
#33
Doesn't This Scream "Rob Me"?
#34
Look For The Difference!
#35
Get Dad....a Beard And Moustache
#36
This Has To Be A Fail Right?
#37
This Was In The Cooking Isle At The Store
#38
How Could This Happen? Misspelling A Common 3 Letter Word
Sea Squirrel 10 hours ago
This misspelling might be on purpose since creepy men started using the correct spelling.
#39
Dark Advert For An Airport Terminal
Andrew Keir 6 hours ago
"Think of all those ladies who waved away the Dessert cart on Titanic ..."
#40
How Do You Do, Fellow Kids
#41
Well, Which One Is It?
#42
Where Is That Chocolate Coming From?
#43
5 Years Ago You Were $0.99. Dunno Who Got Paid For This Advertisement But Im Triggered
Owen 5 hours ago (edited)
Interesting fact - McD*nald's makes more money from renting out their property and franchising their business rights than actually selling burgers. Most branches are rented by individuals that buy into the license rather than corporate run. And the individual that rents that franchise can only buy their food from the corporate overlord. Source - I worked in one for three years.
#44
Clearly Not
#45
Target Cornering The Drunk Toddler Market?
#46
Gluten-Free And No Sugar Added
#47
Good Advice. Thank You
#48
Then Why Should I Buy A Membership?
#49
So There Are Spiders In These?
#50
💨
#51
Why Does Vitamin Water Want Me To Spy On My Ex?!
#52
Same Grandma, Different City
#53
Yes, You Too Can Achieve Ultimate Whiteness
#54
LOL. Burns Body Fat?
#55
Umm, Ok
#56
Why Is She Showing An SD Card As A Sim Card? Why Does It Bother Me?
#57
Stake Is Now Advertising Inside Fortune Cookies
#58
Have You Ever Wanted To Look Stupid. Boy, Do These Guys Have The Product For You
Kira Okah 12 hours ago
It's apparently meant to be a photobiomodulation device. In this case, putting low power lasers or LEDs on your head; though LEDs wouldn't do a thing, and the lasers probably can't reach either. Though this is being medically tested in some areas, this will likely only lighten your wallet.
#59
I Think I’ll Pass…
#60
"We Won't Use AI... But We Also Won't Hire A Professional."
#61
Reddit Ad On Reddit Seems Redundant
#62
Well This Just Horrific
#63
Thanks A Lot I Will Make Sure Not To Get It
#65
This Must Be An All-Inclusive Resort
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