9 ads that sparked an outcry before Apple’s ‘Crush’

Apple issued a rare apology on Thursday after its new iPad Pro commercial was heavily criticized for showing creative objects such as musical instruments and paint cans getting crushed by an industrial-sized hydraulic press. “Creativity is in our DNA at Apple, and it’s incredibly important to us to design products that empower creatives all over the world,” Tor Myhren, Apple’s VP of marketing communications, said in a statement to Ad Age. “Our goal is to always celebrate the myriad of ways users express themselves and bring their ideas to life through iPad. We missed the mark with this video, and we’re sorry.” Of course, this is nothing new. Many brands over the years have met a similar fate with controversial ads that were greeted with fierce backlash. This isn’t even Apple’s first rodeo in that regard. See all of Ad Age’s 2024 Creativity Award winners here Below, check out some of the most controversial ads in history. Apple “Lemmings” (1985) Apple had a legendary hit on the 1984 Super Bowl with its “1984” commercial, introducing the Macintosh computer. But it face-planted a year later with “Lemmings,” an ad that showed a line of men and women in identical-looking business suits following one another in walking off a cliff—a metaphor for “business as usual.” The ill-conceived spot was panned by many, and Steve Jobs was ousted as Apple’s president by the company’s board later that year (only to return a decade later). Just for Feet “Runner” (1999) One word: Yikes. This commercial, which ran on the 1999 Super Bowl, is still talked about as one of the worst Big Game ads of all time. The racially charged ad featured white men in a Humvee tracking a barefoot Black Kenyan runner sprinting across the savanna. They eventually offer him some water, after which he passes out (presumably the water is drugged). After, they force new kicks onto his feet. Just for Feet went on to sue Saatchi & Saatchi for $10 million, arguing the commercial was so bad it amounted to advertising malpractice. Eventually Just for Feet went bankrupt; the spot lives on in infamy. General Motors “Robot” (2007) “Robot,” which aired on the 2007 Super Bowl, struck the wrong chord due to its morbid premise and depiction of a robot committing suicide. Created by Deutsch LA, the spot made its point about GM’s obsession with quality by showing the downward spiral—and eventual suicide—of a yellow assembly-line robot who is dismissed for making a mistake on a vehicle. Thankfully, there was a lighter ending—it was all just a bad dream. However, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention wasn’t amused. The organization said the ad was insensitive and sent a dangerous message “that suicide is a logical and rational decision should one experience failure or lose their job.” GM halted any further media buys of the ad. Snickers “Mechanics” (2007) Snickers’ 2007 Super Bowl ad from TBWA\Chiat\Day prompted accusations of homophobia from GLAAD, Human Rights Campaign and others for its depiction of two mechanics’ overreaction to sharing a “Lady and the Tramp”-style kiss while eating a Snickers bar. Following the accidental kiss, one man exclaims, “Quick, do something manly,” suggesting kissing another man wasn’t. Snickers pulled the ad, claiming it was an attempt to be humorous that failed. Groupon “Tibet” (2011) Groupon’s 2011 Super Bowl spot flipped charity advertising on its head, to the dismay of many viewers. The spot starts like a pledge drive to help Tibetan people at risk, then flips to a celebration of discounts on Tibetan food using Groupon discounts. Created by Crispin, Porter & Bogusky, the ad was met with swift backlash from those who felt it mocked nonprofits fundraising for good causes. Groupon CEO Andrew Mason denied that accusation, saying it was intended to mock celebrities and the overreliance of star power for cause campaigns. Nationwide “Boy” (2015) Nationwide was accused of souring the atmosphere of the 2015 Super Bowl, with a somber ad from Ogilvy & Mather about household safety. The ad shows all the things a young boy will never learn to do—ride a bike or get cooties—because (here’s the shocker) he died from a preventable household accident. Scenes of a flooded bathtub, a fallen TV and loose household cleaners follow, leaving it to the viewer’s imagination what happened to the kid. The ad was widely mocked, but the insurance company issued a message following the ad explaining its thinking and rejected the idea that Super Bowl ads can’t be serious. In the end, thousands of people visited its dedicated website for education and resources on household safety, MakeSafeHappen.com. Pepsi “Live for Now” (2017) Pepsi’s Kendall Jenner spot still gets criticized for trivializing social movements, as it depicted her making peace between protestors and police officers by offering a Pepsi. The soda giant pulled the ad after the spot drew a torrent of criticism, including accusations that it co-opted protest movements such as Black Lives Matter for commercial gain. At the time, Pepsi stated that it was “trying to project a global message of unity, peace and understanding.” However, many people claimed the ad glossed over serious social tensions such as racial discrimination by police by chalking them up to ideological differences. Gillette “We Believe” (2019) Gillette stirred the pot when it called out men, in no uncertain terms, at the height of the #MeToo movement. “We Believe,” created by Grey, showed men and boys’ bad behavior—grabbing women without consent in movies, fighting with each other—being excused as “boys being boys.” It then asked, “Is this the best a man can get?” as a gang of bullies chased a victim. While many praised the ad as courageous, it did result in a boycott and backlash from mostly conservative men who claimed it to be “feminist propaganda.” Even some of its defenders said Gillette hadn’t earned the right to address the topic, given some of its own questionable ads in the past. Gillette stood by the ad. Peloton “The Gift That Gives Back” (2019) Peloton’s 2019 holiday ad was accused of being a sexist and classist “male fantasy ad” by women who felt it set unrealistic expectations about wives being trimmer. The spot, created by Mekanism, features an attractive family during the holiday season, when the husband gives his wife a Peloton. The ad goes on to depict the woman’s vlog journal of her one-year journey with the bike, as she thanks her husband for the gift, saying she “didn’t know how much this would change me.” Critics noted the woman was already in shape to begin with, and claimed the ad could inspire men to become obsessed with skinnier spouses. (“Peloton Wife” soon went on to appear in an Aviation Gin spoof. And Peloton’s holiday season revenue soared 77%.) Ad Age Creativity Bookmark our section covering the best in brand creativity every day Read more here

9 ads that sparked an outcry before Apple’s ‘Crush’

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