13 Iconic Commercials That Aired Once — and Were Pulled Immediately
Sometimes, the most unforgettable commercials are the ones so controversial or shocking that they got pulled after just one airing, carving their place in advertising history as bold misfires and cultural lightning rods.
- Alyana Aguja
- 5 min read
Certain advertisements are so deeply impressive — either by shocking audiences, inciting outrage, or falling flat altogether — that they are yanked after a solitary broadcast. These one-time-only ads are infamous advertising moments, displaying the thin line between creative genius and consumer outrage. A look at these one-and-done advertisements provides an interesting insight into how companies traverse controversy, cultural sensitivities, and the capricious court of public opinion.
1. Apple – “Lemmings” (1985)
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This dark, dystopian commercial aired in the Super Bowl and featured blindfolded office workers marching off a cliff, saying that PC users were mindless lemmings. It was a follow-up of a kind to Apple’s iconic “1984” commercial but one that alienated rather than inspired viewers. The backlash prompted Apple to withdraw it within hours and never broadcast it again.
2. Pepsi – “Live for Now” with Kendall Jenner (2017)
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Pepsi attempted to capture the spirit of world protests by having Kendall Jenner offer a can of Pepsi to a police officer, defusing tension in an instant. Critics blamed the brand for making light of Black Lives Matter and similar serious causes. Public backlash made Pepsi apologize and pull the commercial within 24 hours.
3. Just for Feet – Super Bowl Ad (1999)
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This strange advertisement showed a group of white men in a military vehicle chasing down a barefoot Kenyan runner, drugging him, and shoeing him up. It was universally attacked as racist and imperialistic. Just for Feet took it off the air the moment it aired, but the fallout contributed to the company going bankrupt the rest of that year.
4. General Motors – “Suicidal Robot” (2007)
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In this Super Bowl commercial, a robot who has been fired from a GM assembly line fantasizes about jumping off a bridge. Mental health groups and viewers alike were offended by the tone. GM quickly pulled the ad just a few days later, succumbing to growing outrage and backlash.
5. Skittles – “Mother’s Day” (2008)
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In this bizarre place, a grown man and his old mother have a huge umbilical cord and share in feeding Skittles to him. The audience regarded it as grotesque and repulsive instead of funny. It was shown once in Canada and withdrawn immediately because of negative responses.
6. Snickers – “Do Something Manly” (2007)
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This Super Bowl commercial featured two men inadvertently kissing while sharing a Snickers bar, then disgusted and doing “manly” activities such as pulling out chest hair. LGBTQ groups labeled it homophobic and offensive. Mars promptly pulled the commercial and related website copy.
7. Holiday Inn – “Tranny” Ad (1997)
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Holiday Inn’s Super Bowl ad showed a guy flirting with a woman during a high school reunion and then discovering she is a transgender woman after surgery. LGBTQ+ activists and viewers criticized the ad as transphobic. The backlash was so strong that the company pulled the ad after a single broadcast.
8. Nationwide – “Dead Boy” (2015)
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Air during the Super Bowl, this serious ad had a child tell us about all the things he’d never do — because he had passed away in an avoidable accident. People were shocked and appalled at the dark tone during a celebratory event. Nationwide supported the message but removed the ad after heavy criticism.
9. Ford India – “Bondage” Print Ad (2013)
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Though a technical print ad, it was planned as part of an international campaign and landed on the Internet temporarily. The advertisement showed Paris Hilton driving while the Kardashian sisters were tied up and gagged in the trunk. Ford apologized and pulled the ad within minutes, attributing it to being unauthorized, though it was traced to its advertising agency.
10. Coca-Cola – “India and Pakistan” Vending Machines (2013)
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This ad showcased vending machines located in India and Pakistan, where citizens of both nations could see and talk to one another in real time over a Coke. While sincere, nationalists on both sides felt it belittled high-level geopolitical tension. Coca-Cola silently dropped the campaign after protests in both countries.
11. Chevrolet – “Apocalypse” (2012)
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This Super Bowl commercial showed a dark post-apocalyptic landscape where Chevy trucks had made it but Fords hadn’t — with a jab at Ford drivers not surviving. Ford issued a threat of legal action and filed a formal complaint. Although broadcast once on the Super Bowl, GM agreed not to broadcast again.
12. Hyundai – “Pipe Job” (2013)
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This British advert featured a man trying to commit suicide using car exhaust, but failing because the Hyundai iX35 emissions were so clean. Public outrage, particularly among suicide victims, was instant. Hyundai apologized and took down the ad in hours.
13. Nike – “Chains” (2001)
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In this commercial, a man runs down city streets in chains, which rip apart violently, implying breaking free from restraints. Many viewers, however, read the imagery as alluding to slavery. Nike yanked the ad from the air after one showing amidst mounting outrage at the tone-deaf symbolism.