A series of politically incorrect marketing campaigns

Intended to shock, inspire and receive the socially acceptable nod are the following marketing campaigns. Problem is, they’re all rather politically incorrect.

1. Minimum Wage Barbie

I assume this was to initially encourage young girls to aspire to be better than Barbie – what this really could have ended up doing is crushing dreams all over the world. Comments made on a post on I Waste So Much Time spanned quite the discussion:

“Bubbles: Dude I actually had a McDonalds Barbie when I was little! Don’t underestimate Barbie, she is wonder woman… she can be anything from a minimum wage worker to an astronaut.”

“HKP2KSK: The sad thing is, even with a degree, this is still happening to people because of today’s economy.”

“trinitybird: in these days a job at McDonalds is better than nothing. At least it shows they’re trying to do something.”

2. Cellophane

A series of cellophane adverts were released over 70 years ago with some rather controversial images of babies wrapped in cellophane. Other posters boasted how ‘dainty women prefer intimate garments in “Cellophane”‘ and that cellophane ‘insures smoking pleasure’.

3. Lysol

Seriously speechless. What does it mean to ‘doubt’ your feminine hygiene, exactly?

4. Magnet’s Universal Food Chopper

I can literally feel vegetarians squirming all over the world. An actual pig is being chopped up, with a couple of lambs following suit. That chopper sure is powerful?

5. Colt

Can’t see a light at the end of the tunnel this Christmas? No worries, according to Colt, you can treat yourself with your very own handgun.

6. Tawny Port

Tawny Port had their hearts in the right place, but their heads in another. Curing one addiction with another addiction is not helping anybody!

7. Motorola

Probably one of the lesser offensive marketing campaigns in the pack, but, in modern times, Motorola are very unlikely to use this tactic to sell TVs again. Nice to see the ‘homework now, television later’ tactic still works.

8. Lard

Oh bless their little cotton socks – they’re young and in love. But wait – they’re about to experience a heart attack 20 years later when they release eating lard in large amounts can kill you. Still, so cute.

9. Danish Frisbee Sports Union

Although the message is true; life does seem more fun when frisbees are involved, I can’t help but ignore the obvious political incorrectness of the Danish Frisbee Sports Union’s advert.

10. Grove Tonic

If anyone knows the relevance to a baby’s head being plastered onto a pigs, please, let me know.

11. Pancreatic Cancer Action

Intended to add shock value, Pancreatic Cancer Action’s poster hit controversy in 2014 with their “I wish I had breast cancer” campaign. The advert saw complaints flood in, regards to assuming having breast cancer was better than pancreatic cancer.

12. Dairy Milk

Just if they used a white female ‘diva’ for their white chocolate adverts, you can see where the controversy unfolded following this marketing campaign aimed at supermodel Naomi Campbell.

13. Ford

This advert was aimed at the Indian market and soon hit widespread controversy. Other images included 3 women stashed in the boot and hogtied – of which Ford was then accused of sexual discrimination. This resulted in Ford pulling the campaign entirely and admitting it should have never been printed.

14. Pepsi

The voodoo doll was actually supposed to be Cristiano Ronaldo in this Pepsi Max advert. The advert was aired on TV with Real Madrid’s fans reacting to it by threatening to boycott the drink.

15. Nike

The advert was featured before the murder trial of his late-girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. Subsequently, Nike pulled the advert from all official sources. The advert was no longer deemed appropriate due to the text on the poster which read, “I am the bullet in the chamber”.