Shocking Religious Advertisements

These ads show religion doesn’t always have to be so serious.

St Matthew in the City is a church in New Zealand. This is their press ad for the upcoming Easter 2012. It reads: Judas Iscariot Likes this.

This billboard reads: Poor Joseph. God was a hard act to follow.

An outdoor for Xmas showing Mary finding out she’s pregnant.

Amid Rugby World Cup Fever in New Zealand, ad agency WhybinTBWATequila, Auckland makes use of ‘Turin Shroud’ style art direction in this poster for St Matthew in the City church.

Last Christmas the same church blessed a billboard. It reads: For those who can’t make mass this Christmas, we’ve blessed this billboard. Go ahead touch it.

If you ever wondered what was the meaning of the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro here is the answer: The fish was this big!

Hidden symbols in religious paintings: Catering. The poster reads: The gospel. Truth?

Glasses.

Bottle of wine.

Advertising agency Muckmouth, Auckland created a blasphemous campaign for another New Zealand company Eshe Streatwear. The campaign includes four posters posted all over the streets of Auckland, branded skateboards and t-shirts. Here are the posters.

The United Church of Canada’s poster reads: Does it matter how you achieve your spiritual high? Join the discussion.

Every year, the premature baby unit at Edith Cavell hospital sends cards to the other departments as well as to ex-patients. In 2006 they sent this card in mid-October. When you open it you see the message: It’s a little premature, but Happy Christmas.

Compulsory Auto Insurance of Puerto Rico’s ad: Don’t let irresponsible driving wreck Christmas.

In this ad the famous Last Supper painting by Leonardo da Vinci has been modified to advertise rat poison brand Mortein.

Antonio Federici Ice Cream ad from ad agency Contrast Creative, Manchester
It reads: Immaculately Conceived. Ice Cream is our religion

We Believe In Salivation. Ice Cream is our religion

Istropolitana D’Arcy Slovakian ad agency’s self promotional ad:
If you have a good story, people will trust you.

Sky TV’s Miracles campaign created by Italian ad agency 1861 United, Milan. The first ad shows football superstar Eto and reads: Miracles happen only on Sky Sport..

World record holder Federica Pellegrini

Championship winner rugby player Castrogiovanni

Massimo Ambrosini football star

Francesco Totti Italian football player

Brazilan English School encourages potential students to speak the language of (rock) gods, like Elvis.

Keith Richards

John Lennon

In a simple ad AAA promises to “save you”.

In India, all Hindu prayers and religious functions start with the lighting of incense to invoke the gods. Further, in all Hindu homes and business establishments, a puja (prayer) is done at the start of each new day and incense is lit. Thus, Incense sold for religious purposes is the largest reason to buy in this segment. So creating gods from cycle parts solved the marketing problem efficiently and simply. And the line when translated says, God comes with cycle (roughly translated) completes the communication.

Another Indian campaign for Poweron mosquito coils promises to get rid of the annoying critters: We send mosquitoes to heaven.

For more divinely inspired and earthly creative work check out Ads of the World.