Top 38 Funniest Banned Commercials EVER

#38: Sting vs. Kid

Sprite

A dream meet-and-greet takes a gloriously ridiculous left turn. In this 1999 spot, a young fan finally comes face-to-face with wrestling icon Sting, only for the soda-fueled fantasy to spin wildly out of control. Instead of the usual celebrity endorsement smile-and-wave, the ad stages the encounter like an over-the-top wrestling gag, complete with theatrical chaos and a punchline that definitely wasn’t built for every TV break. Sting, aka Steve Borden, was one of WCW’s biggest stars at the time, which makes the sheer absurdity of the Sprite commercial even funnier — and somehow more ’90s.

#37: Don’t Forget It’s a Diesel

Volkswagen

This one plays like a tiny domestic disaster with a perfectly British swear-word cherry on top. The Volkswagen viral spot hinges on one simple mistake: a driver realizes he has put petrol in a diesel car, and his reaction gives the ad its infamous “Bollocks” nickname. Even the prep was cheeky: according to Campaign, Volkswagen’s ad agency, BMP DDB, said director Jackie Oudney had the twin girls seen in the commercial create imitation Jackson Pollock-style paint splashes and repeat the artist’s name before filming. The ad never made it to TV.

#36: Champagne

Xbox

This ad escalates from zero to existential crisis in record time. Microsoft’s 2002 Xbox commercial follows a newborn who blasts out of the delivery room window, rockets through life while rapidly aging, and lands as an elderly man in a grave — all to sell the tagline, “Life is short. Play more.” It’s a brilliantly absurd lifespan speedrun — funny in a wildly morbid way, but not exactly gentle viewing. The Guardian reported that the UK’s Independent Television Commission banned the ad after 136 viewer complaints, including from people who found its treatment of birth and death upsetting. The watchdog also said the final grave scene was needlessly distressing.

#35: Snacks & Romance

ManCrunch

Game-day snacking gets a wildly awkward twist here. The 2010 spot for gay dating site ManCrunch has two male football fans reach for the same bowl of chips, brush hands, and suddenly lock lips while their buddy short-circuits on the couch. CBS apparently left the commercial in limbo first, then rejected it ahead of Super Bowl XLIV, reportedly over broadcast standards and doubts about whether the company could actually afford the airtime. ManCrunch called foul and argued a straight kiss wouldn’t have caused the same panic. Meanwhile, some analysts suspected the whole controversy was the real ad campaign.

#34: Veggie Love

PETA

Vegetables have rarely looked this committed to causing a Standards and Practices migraine. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, better known as PETA, submitted its 2009 “Veggie Love” spot for Super Bowl XLIII. The ad featured lingerie-clad women getting very, very enthusiastic about produce, all under the message that vegetarians have better sex. NBC rejected the ad, with The Hollywood Reporter noting the network said its sexuality went beyond its advertising standards. PETA, never exactly allergic to controversy, later published NBC’s list of objections, including several very specific broccoli, asparagus, and pumpkin concerns. Subtle? Absolutely not. Memorable? Unfortunately for every vegetable aisle, yes.

#33: Life Is Short, Have an Affair

Ashley Madison

Corporate meetings are already awkward, but this one brings unexplained wildlife and absolutely zero respect for monogamy into the mix. Ashley Madison’s rejected 2011 Super Bowl spot stars former adult-film performer Savanna Samson as a woman who thinks she’s exposing one cheating husband, only to realize infidelity is basically the company culture. Fox reportedly refused to air the commercial, but the strangest thing about it wasn’t even the scandalous premise. It was the bizarre visual garnish: a giant bunny, a capybara, and boardroom chaos so random it felt like someone lost a bet in the props department.

#32: The Midwife’s Trick

Irn-Bru

The delivery room has never been this fizzy. In this 2003 Irn-Bru spot, a difficult labour takes a surreal turn when a midwife tries to coax the baby out using Scotland’s famous orange soft drink. It’s gross, cheeky, and built around the kind of ‘did they really just do that?’ gag the brand practically made an art form. The Guardian reported that the Independent Television Commission investigated the ad after multiple complaints, including from viewers who felt it was upsetting for people affected by miscarriage or difficult births. The joke is so brazenly absurd that you almost admire the confidence, even while understanding the backlash.

#31: Beer over Jennifer Aniston

Heineken

A grocery-store meet-cute gets hijacked by the world’s thirstiest plot twist. In the 2005 Heineken commercial, Jennifer Aniston struggles to reach bottles on a high shelf, while “Happy Together” nudges us toward rom-com territory. Actor Brian Thomas Smith appears to step in like the helpful tall stranger — then simply grabs the beer for himself and walks away. The gag works because it plays directly against Aniston’s sweetheart image from “Friends”, turning a potential flirtation into a brutally efficient beer run. The ad reportedly never aired in the U.S., but online, the punchline has aged just fine.

#30: Chip It OutChipshots.com

This commercial’s comic timing is everything. While two men are playing golf, one of them suggests to the other to “chip it out.” Chip shots are done when there is a short distance from the green, letting the ball roll towards the hole. The playing golfer, however, insists they can get the ball through the narrow trees…only for the ball to hit his fellow golfer. Ouch. But it’s also hilarious timing. The point of the ad, of course, was to illustrate the power of their golf clubs. Why this commercial was banned was clear enough…but it’s still very funny.

#29: PipesTango Orange

You would think a U.K. commercial for a beverage wouldn’t involve a man wrapped in a carpet filled with a bunch of oranges rolling down a hill. But you’d be wrong in that. What cinches the comedy in this Tango Orange ad is the sports commentator, narrating as if this were an actual legitimate sport move. Unfortunately, the Advertising Standards Authority Watchdog banned the commercial in November 2004, out of fear younger watchers might try to copy the stunt. This isn’t the only time Tango Orange would release a controversial commercial—or an unforgettably amusing one.

#28: Lost PuppyGoDaddy

Super Bowl ads are often some of the best, but also often among the most controversial. This 2015 commercial is a spoof of a Budweiser one. In it, a lost puppy manages to return to its owners…except those owners had already sold the pup online through their GoDaddy website. Naturally, there was an outcry, drawing comparison with real life puppy mills, and a petition was started to remove the offending commercial. GoDaddy apologized and pulled it. We don’t want to be callous or anything, but it is a fresh take on the typical corny lost pet or animal commercial. Also, it makes for a very funny twist ending.

#27: Ricocheting BaseballRolling Rock

Balls are a popular theme for risqué ads, it seems. This 2007 Rolling Rock Super Bowl ad attracted controversy for obvious reasons. It features a regular game of baseball, but once the batter hits the ball, it ricochets everywhere… literally. The only two people immune to the maniacal magic baseball, or simply just well-prepared, have arrived with cups. And drink Rolling Rock beer, of course. Again, the sports commentator makes the comedy, increasingly chagrined at the baseball’s reign of terror. Sadly, the ad was rejected and never aired during the Super Bowl.

#26: Vending MachinePepsi

The legendary rivalry between Pepsi and Coke, known as the Cola wars, was fraught at times, but it created undeniable entertainment for many cola lovers. In response to Coca-Cola’s claim that it sold four times as many cans as Pepsi, the company made this savage commercial. Here, a young boy buys two cans of coke from the vending machine…only for him to use them as stilts in order to order the Pepsi. Of course, there was backlash and the ad was subsequently banned. But Pepsi’s savage trolling still goes viral on social media, making this oldie very much a goodie.

#25: In the CanBud Light Lime

This 2009 commercial has it in the can. This innuendo-rife ad featured people talking about how much they loved “getting it in the can” at some point or another. They are referring, of course, to Bud Light Lime, now available in a can as well as in a bottle. Of course, the ad’s very suggestiveness prevented it from being aired during the Super Bowl. This wouldn’t be the first time a Budweiser commercial generated controversy for its suggestive nature or was even banned. But the idea was still very cheeky, and it makes for a great laugh.

#24: Darts AthleteZoosk

Online dating website Zoosk stirred controversy with this 2010 ad which featured a woman talking about her recent in-person dating experience. The date in question considers himself good at darts, but his one dart move goes horribly awry. The moral? Online dating websites are a superior way to date. The sight of the poor guy on the receiving end of the dart proved too much for many, which is why it was banned in Europe for being too violent. But let’s face it: We’ve all been there at some point. Also, the comic timing is ghoulishly good.

#23: Temper TantrumZazoo Condoms

Now, this was a brilliant idea for a commercial. This 2004 Belgian-French ad features a supermarket where a little boy begins to scream when he is denied his bonbons. What follows is a temper tantrum and rampage. The obvious conclusion is that the dad should have bought some contraceptive care when he had the chance. While some people praised its humor and cleverness in promoting its product, others condemned the crudity of the execution. It was banned in Europe, but there’s no denying that it’s an effectively clever ad, and one you don’t easily forget.

#22: Learn EnglishSoesman Language Training

This 2001 commercial really makes the benefits of understanding English clear. In the ad, a Dutch family goes into their car and puts on an English-language song with very crude lyrics. The family bops their head along to the song, blissfully unaware of its family-unfriendly vulgarity. The tagline effectively sells the services of the company, which is to teach English. Naturally, the commercial was banned by the Dutch government for its use of inappropriate and crude language. Soesman Language Training no longer exists, but its advert is definitely a classic, and hilarious.

#21: It’s HugeDodge Durango SLT

This risqué commercial for this Chrysler vehicle was risky indeed. In it, two men are discussing a poster of the new SUV. The twist is a third party is listening in one of the stalls, growing increasingly confused at their unintentionally suggestive conversation. Chrysler executives were already very nervous in premiering the ad, with the skit going through multiple drafts and tests. Their concerns were real. In the end, the commercial was not shown during prime time hours. It was banned in the US before even airing for the 2007 Super Bowl. Our take? This bathroom humor was cleverly written.

#20: Cheesy Dads

Philadelphia CheeseIn 2019, the United Kingdom began enforcing legislation that banned “harmful gender stereotypes” in advertisements. A light Philadelphia Cheese commercial felt the brunt of this new directive when it was released. The ad shows two dads in a coffee shop that had a conveyor belt delivering various cheese-based products snaking around the shop floor. Enticed by a cream cheese bagel, the dads absentmindedly put their babies on the conveyor belt. Fortunately, their children were unharmed. The ad was banned for supposedly making dads look careless and stereotyping women as more capable caregivers. However, we’d argue that anyone would’ve been enticed by that cheese in this amusing ad.

#19: A Flatulent First Date

SmartBeepMost people would probably find this ad relatively inoffensive. A woman who thinks she’s alone in a car lets one rip while her date is outside the vehicle. However, his friends are in the back. The commercial says the bachelorette's behavior was dumb before highlighting its smart beeper. While a funny fart joke might not be the best way to sell a product, surely people can’t get that upset about a normal bodily function? Well, the censors at FOX apparently did. They took issue with this flatulent SmartBeep commercial and had it pulled. Outside of FOX, the commercial’s star Clare Salstrom appeared on “The Late Late Show” to talk about how fun the fart was to shoot.

#18: Kim Cattrall’s Car Commercial

Nissan Tiida

Though “Sex and the City” had been off the air for around two years when this ad aired, Kim Cattrall was brought in to reprise her role as Samantha for this Nissan commercial. It’s made in the same style as the sultry show, with Cattrall dishing about the “ride of her life” over the phone. She’s hilariously talking about the Nissan Tiida and not her latest fling. But that wasn’t enough for New Zealand’s regulators. While the innuendos in her dialogue were the only provocative part of the ad, it received complaints. Nissan eventually decided to get ahead of the scandal and pull the ad themselves.

#17: A Bad Place to Read

AudibleYou wouldn’t think an ad for Audible would have anything offensive in it, let alone dangerous, but the Australians didn’t agree. Popular Aussie comedian Celeste Barber starred in this spot about finding opportunities to listen to an audiobook during your daily routine. She’s joined by Poh Ling Yeow of “Masterchef” fame. A scene where Barber is jokingly found sitting inside Poh’s refrigerator earned the ire of regulators. There were claims that the commercial was dangerous because impressionable viewers might copy the chilling act. Outside of the controversial scene, it’s still a fun Audible ad.

#16: A Time of the Month Talk Show

Tampax

The funniest thing about this ad is the idea that Tampax would ever have its own talk show just to advertise menstrual products. But the whole point of “talking” about that time of the month went over a lot of people’s heads. Unfortunately, the ad was widely complained about and ultimately banned in Ireland for being offensive. In an ironic twist, the ban might’ve been more slammed than the ad. People rightfully pointed out that there’s nothing vulgar about talking about an incredibly common item half the population uses. And the commerical’s humor was a great way to get an important message across.

#15: Inappropriate Shaking

For Goodness ShakesMoving from one part of the human body to another, this protein shake commercial implies that the men it stars are doing something...incredibly inappropriate in public places. The men are actually trying to get their protein shakes just right. Luckily, “For Goodness Shakes” is here to provide protein shakes that are ready to drink right away. So unlike the men in this ad, you’ll avoid any hilarious mixups in public while trying to mix your protein drink. The commercials' logical explanation didn’t prevent it being seen as too edgy for TV. It’s not surprising to hear it was banned by the UK’s advertising authority.

#14: Cheated Out of Chicken

Burger KingAbove being racy or inappropriate, there’s another big issue lots of advertisers face when making their commercials: they’re not supposed to lie or mislead the audience. That’s exactly why a humorous Burger King ad from 2010 was banned in the UK. It shows a man who’s snuck out to a motel room to enjoy the new Tendercrisp Chicken. But he’s caught in the act by a jealous cow that wants him to eat beef instead. It wasn’t banned because of the implication that this man has a weird connection with a jealous cow. Nope, it was pulled because the real Tendercrisp Chicken sandwich is a lot smaller than the one shown.

#13: Taking Care of Chores

Wodka Vodka

This ad from 2011 was allegedly banned for its gender stereotypes. It was part of a long-running campaign by Wodka Vodka, a Polish liquor company. In this commercial, a woman says she’ll get the house clean and cook a nice dinner for her partner while he’s at work. But it’s revealed that her private profession involves her forcing male clients to do household chores. Either the racy content or depiction of a woman being placed in a traditional role might’ve earned the ad a ban. As offensive as some may have found it, the commercial features funny and creative problem solving. Admittedly, it’s not entirely clear what any of this has to do with vodka.

#12: An Orange Man Tangos Too Hard

TangoThis Tango ad features a man painted orange going up and slapping another man who’s just opened a can of Tango, an orange-flavored soda sold in the UK. This hit apparently represents the overwhelming tang you taste when you take your first sip. This silly commercial was banned in the UK after it allegedly caused an epidemic of impressionable viewers slapping each other. After news of these supposed incidents broke, the ad was pulled from the air and replaced with a less violent Orange Man. Despite the controversy, the “you know when you’ve been Tango’d” campaign continued to bring wild success to the company.

#11: Everybody’s Doing It

PS VitaThis is another ad that initially seems like it was only banned for being far too suggestive. In the commercial, a female doctor claims viewers are “doing it” far more often than is healthy. Obviously, by “doing it” she means playing on Sony’s handheld PlayStation Vita with the new remote play feature. This funny remote play commercial turned out to be no laughing matter for Sony. The ad was lambasted for being misleading about Vita function as well as its “inappropriate” phrasing. Sony claimed it was “cross-platform” gaming – when really, you’re just streaming your console to a handheld. Ultimately, this doctored ad and more like it cost the company to lose money over false advertising.

#10: Rooting Against England

Six Nations Rugby ChampionshipWhen you initially watch this commercial, it seems like everybody is supporting the English rugby team in the lead-up to 2012’s Six Nations Rugby Championship. But you’ll see a hilariously unexpected truth when you look closer. The people voicing their support for England are wearing flags and coats of arms from different countries that also compete. Fans from Wales, Ireland, and Italy are all seen. A tagline reveals that these people are actually naming the country they want to lose the tournament. The BBC pulled the trailer over fears it would upset the English before pulling another similar ad in 2017.

#9: Hiding a Fling

HyundaiIn this car commercial, we see an older woman driving with a much younger man in her vehicle. She then sees her husband driving in a different car up ahead and puts the passenger seat all the way back so the husband won’t see her companion. At the end of the commercial though, it’s revealed that the husband – also driving a Hyundai – is hiding an affair too. It just so happens that he's accompanied by a young man wearing a cowboy hat. It’s unclear what got the ad banned. Either way, it was a clever way to show off a car’s passenger seat.

#8: Prison Visitor

Vim CreamWe open on a shot of a woman behind a glass screen and her young daughter seemingly visiting her in prison. But it’s quickly revealed that the mom isn’t in prison at all—she’s actually trapped in her bathtub. Any adult knows that cleaning the bathroom is probably the worst of all household jobs. Vim offered to expedite the process with its flashy cleaning cream. Despite being widely acclaimed in the advertising world, this ad was supposedly pulled at one time. Maybe the prison setup was too much for viewers to handle.

#7: Risking “Dudeness”

VeetUnlike many other contentious commercials, these ads were part of an extensive campaign. So, there are quite a few of them that all follow the same trend. They went out in 2014 and implied a woman forgetting to shave or wax for a day would make her turn into an extremely hairy man. Multiple people including a beautician, a cab driver, and an extremely judgmental paramedic were horrified at the existence of body hair on a woman. We understand Veet is a company that makes hair removal products and needs to advertise them. But despite some potential for sharp social commentary, pretty much everybody felt these commercials missed the mark.

#6: Lab Rat Test

Nintendo Gameboy Micro

The Gameboy took the world by storm as a wildly popular handheld. Its Micro version rounded out the Gameboy family when it was released in 2005. But one ad could’ve ruined Nintendo’s mostly family-friendly image. We see a rat placed in a maze with a Gameboy and a piece of cheese. Scientists mean to test whether the food or handheld is more irresistible. Naturally, the rat chooses the Gameboy. But things definitely cross a line when the rat appreciates the Gameboy Micro…*ahem* way too much. Given the inappropriate content in a commercial aimed at kids, it’s easy to see why this hilariously unexpected ad may have been downplayed.

#5: Grim Reaper

Hyundai Veloster

Although it’s always good for any car manufacturer to focus on how safe its latest vehicle is, Hyundai definitely took it a little too far in this commercial for the Veloster. In it, we see a woman being driven home in a Ford Focus. Unfortunately, she forgets to look both ways when she gets out. She immediately gets into a car accident thanks to the Grim Reaper’s influence. We then see the same scenario play out again, but this time she’s in a Hyundai Veloster. Since it’s a three-door, she gets out on the other side and avoids the accident while the grim reaper gets hilarious comeuppance. In a rare instance, Hyundai decided to take the ad out of rotation before it was fully banned.

#4: Standoff

Xbox 360At the beginning of the Xbox 360’s lifecycle, Microsoft advertised its new flagship console a little aggressively. Though it was a great device, the company’s standoff ad wasn’t as well regarded. It was meant to be an innocent ad where strangers used imaginary finger firearms in a big pretend showdown. The commercial was even shown off by Microsoft at a few promotional events and was presumably intended to be put on TV. While the commercial was played for fun, there were questions if the ad was making light of violent acts. In yet another example of a company trying to avoid future controversy, Microsoft decided not to air the ad. The zany finger battle was left to only exist in our imaginations.

#3: Clothing Drive

Bud Light

In this attention grabbing Super Bowl ad, an office clothing drive promises to give people a Bud Light for every item of clothing donated. This leads to office workers giving away every piece of clothing on their bodies. Though the nudity is all censored, the amusing concept quickly grows uncomfortable as the ad goes on. It was ultimately deemed too much for television. But it’s not the only banned Bud Light advert to get in trouble. A commercial with an over-the-top pillow fight was criticized for violence. And yet another ad about two skinny dippers was also pulled from screens for the risque content.

#2: In the Hole

kgb

This is another Super Bowl spot that didn’t get past the censors. Designed to be as shocking as possible, it features two golfers who get their heads stuck in their rear-ends after discussing global warming. The ad makes it clear that they don’t really know much about the subject. Seeing as kgb is a fact-checking service, the crux of the ad is that if you don’t use them, you’ll end up just like these unfortunate golfing guys. The commercial is definitely funny and memorable. However, CBS kept kgb’s ad off its airways.

#1: The Last Dictator Standing

Nando’sThe last thing you should be doing while you’re trying to advertise a chicken restaurant is feature a roster of the world’s most notorious dictators. But that’s exactly what Nando’s did in this insane commercial from 2011. It featured Zimbabwean dictator Robert Mugabe, who was still alive at the time, hanging out with Colonel Gaddafi, Mao Zedong, and even Saddam Hussein. The ad ends with the suggestion that Mugabe is upset that his fellow autocrats have been removed from power because he doesn’t have anyone to share his chicken with. They say there’s no such thing as bad publicity, but this ad would firmly disagree. After staff received threats of boycotts and even violence, the commercial was pulled.

Which banned commercial are you pleading guilty to loving? Tell us in the comments!