10 Hilarious Banned Commercials That Pushed the Boundaries

In the world of advertising, sometimes creativity knows no bounds. While some commercials successfully capture our attention, others take a leap into the unknown, challenging societal norms and sometimes crossing lines that lead to their ultimate banishment. These banned commercials often leave us laughing and wondering just how they managed to make it to our screens in the first place. In this article, we’ll explore 10 hilarious banned commercials that dared to push the boundaries of acceptable advertising.

1. Doritos – “Finger Cleaner” (Super Bowl Commercial)

This infamous Super Bowl commercial takes a quirky approach to solving the problem of messy Doritos fingers, using a hospital setting and a doctor’s unconventional method of cleaning. While it’s undoubtedly humorous, the ad was banned due to its suggestive content.

2. Poo-Pourri – “Girls Don’t Poop”

Poo-Pourri’s commercial is a prime example of humor that’s both clever and unconventional. This ad humorously addresses a rather taboo subject and became a viral sensation, even though some networks initially found it too daring for TV.

3. Volkswagen – “Little Vader”

In this Volkswagen commercial, a young boy tries to use “The Force” on various objects but fails until he successfully starts his family’s VW. While it’s a cute and funny commercial, it faced a ban due to its association with the Star Wars franchise.

4. Snickers’ “Mr. T”

This Snickers ad, featuring Mr. T, was banned for potentially promoting violence. In the commercial, Mr. T throws a Snickers bar at a speedwalker, saying, “Get some nuts!” Its comedic approach, though, is undeniably unforgettable.

5. Skittles – “Touch the Rainbow”

Skittles is known for its quirky advertising, but the “Touch the Rainbow” commercial takes the cake. It humorously explores the consequences of having a magical touch that turns everything into Skittles, including a man’s date.

6. Old Spice – “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like”

Old Spice’s iconic “Man Your Man Could Smell Like” campaign became a sensation for its absurdity. While it was never outright banned, it certainly pushed the boundaries of traditional advertising.

7. Levi’s – “Flat Eric”

This Levi’s commercial introduced us to the quirky puppet character “Flat Eric,” who bobs his head to a techno beat while riding shotgun in a car. While seemingly harmless, the commercial was banned due to concerns about safety as viewers might be tempted to imitate Eric’s dance while driving.

8. Reebok – “Belly”

Reebok’s “Belly” ad aimed to showcase their new sneakers but used humor by featuring a man with a belly that had a life of its own. The unconventional approach led to a ban by many networks.

9. Hyundai – “Pipe Job”

Hyundai’s attempt at humor in this commercial showcases a man attempting to commit suicide through carbon monoxide poisoning, only to fail due to Hyundai’s clean emissions. The ad’s dark humor led to its banishment.

10. Carlton Draught’s “Big Ad”

Carlton Draught’s “Big Ad” was banned for being too big and too funny. This epic beer commercial poked fun at the grandiosity of advertising with a humorous take on action-packed beer ads. Its sheer scale made it a classic, despite the ban.