16 Commercials That Were Pulled Immediately
These commercials caused so much backlash that they were pulled from the air almost as soon as they debuted.
- Daisy Montero
- 4 min read
Some commercials become classics, but others crash and burn the moment they hit TV screens. These ads were either too offensive, too shocking, or just poorly thought out, leading to immediate removal. Here are the commercials that got yanked before they ever stood a chance.
1. Pepsi’s Kendall Jenner Protest Ad
Olga Wvarova on Wikimedia Commons
Pepsi tried to ride the wave of social activism, but its protest-themed commercial came across as tone-deaf. The ad showed Kendall Jenner handing a Pepsi to a police officer as if it could solve real-life tensions. Public outrage was immediate, and Pepsi pulled it within days.
2. McDonald’s “Dead Dad” Ad
Flag: McDonald’s SVG: SilentSpike on Wikimedia Commons
A UK McDonald’s commercial was pulled after sparking criticism for exploiting grief. It showed a boy mourning his late father and bonding with his mom over a Filet-O-Fish. Viewers felt it crossed a sensitive line, forcing McDonald’s to withdraw it.
3. Chevy Tahoe “Create Your Own Ad” Disaster
DestinationFearFan on Wikimedia Commons
Chevy launched an interactive campaign letting users create their own Tahoe ads. Instead of positive messages, people flooded it with sarcastic and environmental takedowns of SUVs. Chevy pulled the campaign after losing control of the narrative.
4. Sony PSP Racist Billboard
Evan-Amos on Wikimedia Commons
Sony ran a PSP ad in the Netherlands featuring a white model dominating a Black model to promote the white edition. The backlash was swift, with accusations of racism. Sony quickly pulled the ad and issued an apology.
5. Burger King’s “Women Belong in the Kitchen” Tweet
Burger King Corporation on Wikimedia Commons
As part of a campaign to support female chefs, Burger King posted a tweet reading, “Women belong in the kitchen.” The backlash was immediate as many felt it reinforced sexist stereotypes. They deleted it within hours.
6. Calvin Klein’s “Brooke Shields” Jeans Ad
Unknown author on Wikimedia Commons
In the 1980s, Calvin Klein ran a commercial featuring a teenage Brooke Shields saying, “You want to know what comes between me and my Calvins? Nothing.” Critics called it sexually suggestive and inappropriate. The ad was banned in several markets.
7. Volkswagen Suicide Ad
Filip Frid on Wikimedia Commons
A dark ad for Volkswagen in the UK showed a man attempting suicide with a car exhaust, only for the car to prevent it. Viewers slammed it as insensitive and tasteless. Volkswagen immediately disowned it and pulled it from circulation.
8. GoDaddy Puppy Super Bowl Ad
GoDaddy on Wikimedia Commons
GoDaddy’s 2015 Super Bowl commercial showed a puppy being sold online after a long journey home. Viewers felt it trivialized pet safety and adoption. The backlash was strong enough for GoDaddy to pull it before it aired widely.
9. General Motors Robot Suicide Ad
™/®General Motors Company on Wikimedia Commons
GM aired a commercial where a robot loses its job for a small mistake and then jumps off a bridge. The suicide imagery disturbed viewers and advocacy groups. GM had to pull and re-edit the commercial.
10. Bloomingdale’s “Spike Your Best Friend’s Eggnog”
Keizers on Wikimedia Commons
Bloomingdale’s ran a holiday catalog ad suggesting spiking your friend’s drink “when they’re not looking.” Critics said it promoted date rape culture. The retailer pulled the ad and issued a public apology.
11. Snickers “Mr. T” Ad
Famartin on Wikimedia Commons
Snickers aired a commercial with Mr. T shooting Snickers bars at a speed walker, telling him to “Run like a real man.” It was criticized for promoting homophobia. Snickers quickly pulled it after public pressure.
12. Heineken “Lighter is Better” Ad
Heineken on Wikimedia Commons
Heineken pulled a TV spot showing a bartender sliding a beer past several darker-skinned people to a lighter-skinned woman. The tagline “Sometimes, lighter is better” was called out as racist. Heineken admitted the ad missed the mark and removed it.
13. Hyundai Suicide Ad
Hyundai Motor Company on Wikimedia Commons
Hyundai faced backlash for an ad showing a man attempting suicide in his garage with a car that produced “too clean” emissions. The dark humor backfired badly. Hyundai pulled the ad immediately after public outrage.
14. Dolce & Gabbana Chopsticks Ad
SVG conversion by Lokomotive74 on Wikimedia Commons
A Dolce & Gabbana ad showed an Asian model struggling to eat Italian food with chopsticks. It was criticized as racist and culturally offensive. After massive backlash in China, the ad was pulled worldwide.
15. Nike “Blood in the Shoe” Ad
Nike, Inc. on Wikimedia Commons
Nike ran a controversial commercial tied to a horror film campaign featuring shoes dripping with blood imagery. Parents and advocacy groups claimed it glorified violence. Nike swiftly removed the ad after public complaints.
16. Dove “Real Beauty Bottles” Campaign
Unilever on Wikimedia Commons
Dove tried to promote body positivity by releasing shampoo bottles in different shapes to “represent” women’s bodies. Instead of being empowering, it was criticized as awkward and reductive. The backlash pushed Dove to quietly pull the campaign.