Ever stumble upon an advertisement so shocking that you can't believe it was allowed to be printed -- or even created at all?
It's called "shockvertising." As the name suggests, these ads are designed to shock you and create controversy in order to get you to remember them, mostly using violence, sex or taboos. Many went too far over the line in their quest to be "edgy" and were banned or rejected outright, but ended up out on the web anyway.
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Italian clothing retailer Benetton pioneered the style in the 1980s, and its now-iconic campaigns received mixed reviews. Though many were outraged at the imagery used, others praised them, as they addressed significant social issues like human and civil rights. Benetton wasn't afraid to attack the taboos of the era such as AIDS and used real images to drive the point home, like in its award-winning 1991 ad that showed a photo of a father holding the lifeless body of his son in a hospital bed.
But shock ads can also backfire spectacularly. The World Wildlife Fund's Brazilian branch invoked international rage with an ad about the 2009 tsunami disaster that depicted dozens of airplanes flying towards the World Trade Center. Italian designer Dolce & Gabbana was forced to pull a campaign of extremely sexual ads in 2007 which some claimed glorified gang rape.
So does this audacious method really work? The style has become increasingly popular among the world's ad agencies and many activist organizations continue to embrace it to raise awareness for their causes.
What do you think about these shock ads -- are they brilliant and daring or just plain offensive?
WWF Brasil -- "Tsunami" (Brazil, 2009)
Humans for Animals -- "Seal" (France, 2005)
Caribu Bitter -- "Canari" (Peru, 2009)
Casa Do Menor -- "Hands" (Spain, 2009)
Droit des Non Fumeurs -- "Smoking is being a slave to tobacco" (France, 2010)
Prachachat Newspaper -- "School" (Thailand, 2010)
Deutscher Tierschutz Bund e.V -- "Pig" & "Mink" (Germany, 2010). Against pig castration and mink skinning
IP Press Men's Magazine -- "Kennedy Assassination" (Belgium, 2007)
Duncan Quinn - Unnamed (2008)
Mettiamocilatesta.it -- "Don't Cut a Dream" (Italy, 2009)
Sisley -- "Fashion Junkie" (China, 2007)
Superette -- "Elevator" (New Zealand, 2009)
Serve -- "You Need Help" & "It's Wrong" (USA, 2008)
Concordia Children's Services -- "Piglets" (Philippines, 2008)
Masterlock -- "Hippies" (South Africa, 2008)
Calle 13 -- Unnamed (Spain, 2009). Television channel
Antonio Frederici -- "We Believe in Salivation" & "Immaculately Conceived" (UK, 2010)
Corporate Chhattisgarh -- "Martyr" (India, 2008)
Reporters Without Borders -- "Ink" (France, 2009)
Pony -- "Black Jesus" (US, 2004)
Hanes - "Because the World Gives You Enough Labels" (India, 2008)
Elf Super HDB Turbo -- "Killed" (India, 2008)
Jealousy International -- "Feel the Romance of British Royalty" (China, 2010). For a lingerie product line
Kiss Tobacco -- Unnamed (Israel, 2007)
Dolce & Gabbana -- Unnamed (2007)
Benetton -- "United Colors" (Int'l, 1980s-90s)
Now see some ads from the old days
Check Out 26 Shockingly Offensive Vintage Ads That Would Never Fly Today >
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