The 7 Absolute Worst Ads Of 2012

The only thing to say is: “What were they thinking?”

1. Belvedere vodka.

March 2012.
The French hooch brand posted this knee-slapper of a rapey, forced blowjobby ad to their Facebook and Twitter pages, and then pulled it less than an hour later. First, They lamely half-apologized on Twitter. Then, the company brass got involved and issued a real apology and donated money to an anti-sexual violence organization.

2. Biomen shampoo

Video available at: http://youtube.com/watch?v=e3gaLz0tn9I.

March 2012.
This is a real Turkish TV commercial.
Translation:
“If you’re not wearing women’s clothes, you shouldn’t be using women’s shampoo either. Here it is. A real man’s shampoo. Biomen. Real men use Biomen.”
Tagline: Shampoo for your herr. (that’s a joke).

3. Multipass travel agency (Ukraine).

June 2012.
“See Asia like Asians do.
to read the text screw up you eyes.”
These posters were placed all over cities in Ukraine.
Just, a screwed up, racist campaign. See below.

4. Toshiba tablets.

Video available at: http://youtube.com/watch?v=SBdZEuO9Hqo.

July 2012.
In a year when the unchecked sexism of Tech companies was front page news, Toshiba Canada decided to introduce Lucy and her special LuLu window top to the world.
Sexism, sure. But the jokes were even worse.

5. KykNET

October 2012.
KykNET is a local TV channel broadcasting in Afrikaans that shows reality shows presented by average South Africans. Copy translation: “Nothing’s put on.”

No, that is not mustache hair (another ad in the campaign covered that).

6. Hooters

Video available at: http://undefined.

August 2012.
Fine, the lifeguard is BOOM-ing the waitresses bOObs at the end of the spot. It is a Hooters commercial.
But making fun of fat, old ladies? I just threw up in my beak? Ha?
The spot was directed by Jody Hill (creator of “Eastbound and Down” and director/writer of “Observe & Report”).
UPDATE: video has been mostly scrubbed from the Internet by Hooters, proving how wrong awful the ad was.

7. The Standard luxury hotels.

September 2012.
Yes, it’s a woman(?) pissing on a rug.
Why?
Because shut-up, you 99-percent peon, that’s why.
If you still have a thirst to know why, read The Standard’s explanation here.