Here are some of the controversial advertisements that brands have used over the years, to catch the public's attention.
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Zomato’s Kachra trends
YouTube
On World Environment Day, Zomato’s campaign courted controversy after it equated Kachra (trash) with a character of the same name in the movie Lagaan. Actor Aditya Lakhia reprised his role for the ad. Zomato deleted the campaign and apologised after netizens trolled it for being insensitive as the character is ridiculed in the movie on the basis of his caste.
Zomato again with MC, BC
Twitter
Zomato makes it to this list twice — after its billboard screamed MC and BC, and explained the short forms in smaller font – Mac n Cheese and Butter Chicken in 2017. The cheeky ad did grab eyeballs and criticism alike and the company’s co-founder Pankaj Chaddha apologised for it.
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Javed Habib:Stylist to the gods
Twitter
Javed Habib who owns a popular chain of salons released a print ad in 2017 showing Lord Ganesh, Goddess Durga and others relaxing at his salon. After a Twitter spat, Habib clarified and apologised to his clientele.
Deodorant ads in the dock
YouTube
In early 2010s, a bunch of deodorant ads by Axe, Cool talc and Set Wet Zatak were deemed ‘obscene’ by industry watchdog ASCI. Most of them followed the same theme – women being irrationally attracted to the men after the latter used the deo.
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Condom ads condemned
YouTube
The toughest products to advertise, however, remain condoms. Many of them like the Manforce ad featuring Sunny Leone in Navratri attire to Pooja Bedi’s Kamasutra ad of the 90s have all received criticism even in times when social media trolling did not exist.
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