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!
#1 I’m Not Sure If They Were Trying To Do This, But If Not, It Looks Horrible
Image source: ZealousidealArm8645
#2 Commas Are Free. Feel Free To Use Them As Needed
Image source: keith2301
#3 Such A Good Deal!
Image source: Cindy6390
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 Answer: No
Image source: keith2301
#5 Guaranteed Reduced Quality
Image source: keith2301
#6 Hilarious Ads
Image source: Difficult896
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 Hilarious Ads
Image source: Difficult896
#8 Amazing!
Image source: keith2301
#9 Meanwhile At Home Depot
Image source: gesourre
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 “God Is Now Here,” I Think
Image source: keith2301
#11 You Can Get One On Amazon For $29.99
Image source: keith2301
#12 Someone At Kroger Doesn’t Know How Air Fryers Work
Image source: heytango66
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 Hilarious Ads
Image source: Difficult896
#14 Chinese Insoles
Image source: questison
#15 That’s A Lot
Image source: Nominaliszt
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 Umm, Ok
Image source: redEPICSTAXISdit
#17 You Read My Mind!
Image source: keith2301
#18 Do You Know What A Venn Diagram Is?
Image source: keith2301
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 Phbbt! Something Is Suspicious About This Copper Supplier
Image source: RickRussellTX
#20 Injury Lawyers
Image source: Abject-Donkey-420
#21 Rethink The Concept
Image source: Kelp72plus
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 Verizon Thinks We Throw Away Our Christmas Trees Away With The Decorations Still On
Image source: reddilator
#23 Get Dad….a Beard And Moustache
Image source: TabooDiver
#24 So There Are Spiders In These?
Image source: captain_slackbeard
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.
#25 Stake Is Now Advertising Inside Fortune Cookies
Image source: MasterConcentrate696
#26 Why Does Vitamin Water Want Me To Spy On My Ex?!
Image source: PhiladelphiaSteaks
#27 Am I Wrong That Vaguely Referencing A Movie From 2006 Is A Dumb Way To Advertise?
Image source: Daventhal
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 Then Why Would I Buy Them?
Image source: keith2301
#29 Have You Ever Wanted To Look Stupid. Boy, Do These Guys Have The Product For You
Image source: Vectorman1989
#30 A Measuring Stick That Does Not Touch The Ground At All
Image source: fanchik
#31 It’s Great To See Citizens Active In Politics
Image source: keith2301
#32 What? The Other Ones Can Hear Us?
Image source: keith2301
#33 I Heard That Your Mother Found A New Restaurant That She Likes
Image source: keith2301
#34 Next Time, Put The Milk In The Cereal Bowl
Image source: keith2301
#35 How Could This Happen? Misspelling A Common 3 Letter Word
Image source: keith2301
#36 Look For The Difference!
Image source: ak91hu
#37 Where Is That Chocolate Coming From?
Image source: Beginning-Wedding-45
#38 Don’t Tuna Shame People
Image source: questison
#39 Please Stop Evolving
Image source: Commercial-Buy3225
#40 LOL. Burns Body Fat?
Image source: Lijey_Cat
#41 Well This Just Horrific
Image source: hallowdmachine
#42 Why Is She Showing An SD Card As A Sim Card? Why Does It Bother Me?
Image source: Bigonrice
#43 This Must Be An All-Inclusive Resort
Image source: keith2301
#44 Gluten-Free And No Sugar Added
Image source: keith2301
#45 Thanks A Lot I Will Make Sure Not To Get It
Image source: Alarming-Highway228
#46 5 Years Ago You Were $0.99. Dunno Who Got Paid For This Advertisement But Im Triggered
Image source: rayrayrayrayray5
#47 Good Advice. Thank You
Image source: keith2301
#48 Clearly Not
Image source: chazlad123
#49 AI Is At Least Making Ads Interesting, Incomprehensible, But Interesting
Image source: Euphoric-Reputation4
#50 “I’m Not Paying To Haul Away These Lion Statues From The Old Chinese Restaurant That Was Here Before Us.”
Image source: expatronis
#51 Please Place A Comma After The Word Out
Image source: keith2301
#52 This Has To Be A Fail Right?
Image source: abdii7
#53 💨
Image source: GryphonSK
#54 Target Cornering The Drunk Toddler Market?
Image source: electric_taupe
#55 I Think I’ll Pass…
Image source: sooperhani
#56 Same Grandma, Different City
Image source: SoVeryKerry
#57 “We Won’t Use AI… But We Also Won’t Hire A Professional.”
Image source: plaid-tuxido506
#58 Reddit Ad On Reddit Seems Redundant
Image source: DamnedDirtyHuman
#59 Yes, You Too Can Achieve Ultimate Whiteness
Image source: keith2301
#60 This Was In The Cooking Isle At The Store
Image source: Mastercube7x7
#61 Then Why Should I Buy A Membership?
Image source: keith2301
#62 Dark Advert For An Airport Terminal
Image source: Intelligent_Joke
#63 How Do You Do, Fellow Kids
Image source: kling_klangg
#64 Well, Which One Is It?
Image source: keith2301
#65 Doesn’t This Scream “Rob Me”?
Image source: bkuhlmann84
Follow Us
