Banned Tales of Advertising

Ads That You Don’t See Anymore

Advertising is a high-stakes game where creativity collides with commerce. And sometimes, advertisers cross the line, leaving the public shaking their heads, regulators handing out fines and certain forms of advertising entering the history books! Let’s take a look at certain types of media channels that have been banned or restricted for advertisers, either due to regulatory concerns, public health issues, or to protect vulnerable populations.

Note:

This article features content from the Marketing Made Clear podcast. You can listen along to this episode on Spotify:

Below are examples of media channels that have faced restrictions or outright bans for advertising purposes:

1. Television and Radio (for Specific Products)

Some products, such as tobacco and alcohol, have been restricted or banned from advertising on television and radio in many countries:

• Tobacco: Tobacco ads were banned from television and radio in the U.S. in 1971. Similar bans exist in the UK, Australia, and many other nations.
• Alcohol: While alcohol advertising is allowed in many countries, certain restrictions apply depending on the time of day, the audience, or the specific content of the ad. Some countries have banned alcohol ads entirely from TV and radio.

2. Children’s Television

Many countries have enacted restrictions or bans on advertising aimed at children, especially during children’s programming:

• Junk Food Ads: The UK government has banned junk food ads from being shown during programmes aimed at children to combat rising childhood obesity rates.
• Toy Ads: In Sweden, advertising aimed at children under 12 has been banned since 1991, particularly to shield children from marketing pressure.
• General Advertising During Kids’ Programming: Some countries restrict all advertising during children’s programming, limiting or banning ads that specifically target young, impressionable audiences.

3. Political Ads on Social Media

As concerns over disinformation and the manipulation of public opinion have grown, some social media platforms have outright banned political advertising:

Twitter: In 2019, Twitter banned all political ads from its platform, citing the need to curb the spread of false or misleading information.

Google: While not a complete ban, Google implemented strict limits on targeting political ads, disallowing certain forms of micro-targeting (based on personal data like browsing history).

4. Schools and Educational Institutions

In many countries, advertising within schools is restricted or banned outright:

School Ads Ban (U.S. & UK): Direct advertising in schools is generally frowned upon or banned. For example, in the U.S., policies have been implemented in various states to limit “sponsored” materials from corporations that could be seen as marketing to students.

Soft Drink and Junk Food Ads in Schools: Many countries have banned advertisements for junk food and sugary drinks within schools as part of public health initiatives to combat childhood obesity.

5. Public Transport (for Certain Products)

Advertising on public transport, particularly for specific products or services, has been restricted or banned in some areas:

• Gambling and Tobacco Ads: In places like New York City and the UK, ads promoting gambling and tobacco products have been banned on public transportation systems, including buses, trains, and subway stations.
• Alcohol Ads: Some cities and regions have banned alcohol advertising on public transport to discourage consumption and reduce its visibility, particularly to underage passengers.

6. Billboards (for Sensitive Content)

Billboards and other out-of-home advertising mediums have faced restrictions in certain regions, especially for products that are deemed harmful or inappropriate:

• Tobacco: Many countries have banned outdoor tobacco advertising, including on billboards, to reduce exposure to youth.
• Sexual Content or Adult Services: Advertising for adult services (like strip clubs or escort services) is often banned or highly regulated on billboards, particularly near schools or residential areas.

7. Online Advertising for Harmful or Dangerous Products

Several categories of products or services are either banned or heavily restricted from being advertised online:

• Tobacco Products: Most major platforms, such as Google and Facebook, ban ads for cigarettes, cigars, and vaping products.
• Firearms and Weapons: Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Google have strict bans on advertising firearms, explosives, and other weapons.
• Illegal or Harmful Products: Ads promoting illegal drugs, unapproved health treatments, or dangerous supplements are usually banned from all online advertising channels.

Specific Adverts That Need a Mention!

Sometimes, it’s far less about the medium of advertising and much more about the topic. So in this tangent, I’ll run you through a few, more specific campaign types that have caused a backlash.

Cigarette Ads: Blowing Smoke Up Our Collective Behind

Back in the day, cigarette commercials were extremely common. They featured everything from doctors in white coats puffing away, assuring you that cigarettes were good for your lungs, to the ever-iconic Marlboro Man, who practically breathed tobacco clouds.

But by the late 1960s, after scientific research conclusively linked smoking with cancer, regulators realised they might have a tiny PR problem. In 1971, the U.S. banned cigarette ads on television and radio, in what we can only assume was a sad day for Joe Camel.

Sugar-Coated Lies: The Banning of Junk Food Ads for Kids

Remember the 90s? Back when kids were practically hypnotised by sugary cereal commercials that made you believe a bowl of Froot Loops could transform you into a cartoon character. Those were the days. But as it turns out, a steady diet of sugary cereals washed down with neon-colored soda wasn’t exactly fueling a generation of mini-superheroes.

In the UK, authorities cracked down on junk food ads targeting children, banning commercials that painted sugar-packed cereals as part of a balanced breakfast. It was a move designed to fight childhood obesity, but also a tragic blow to parents everywhere who used the phrase, “You can have it because the cartoon rabbit says so,” as an argument for purchasing 50 boxes of Cocoa Puffs. No more hearing Tony the Tiger tell us sugary flakes were “grrreat” for your health? Well, we’ll always have Frosted Flakes.

The Dreaded “Miracle” Weight Loss Ads: From Fad to Fraud

Weight-loss product commercials have long promised miraculous results, offering everything from magic pills to vibrating belts that would apparently give you abs while you lounged on the couch. The trouble started when consumers realised the only thing shrinking was their bank account. Cue a flurry of bans worldwide as these misleading ads were rightfully tossed into the trash bin of history.

One classic example was “L’Occitane’s slimming almond cream,” which was banned after it claimed to “slim you down by up to 1.3 inches!” One can only imagine the disappointed cream-appliers out there who looked down at their un-slimmed thighs and thought, Is this a joke?

Pushing the Limits: Lynx Body Spray’s “Bro, You Smell Amazing” Campaign

Ah, the early 2000s, an era when Lynx (or Axe everywhere but the UK) body spray’s marketing was pretty much, “Spray this, and women will flock to you like seagulls to a French fry.”

If you’ve never seen one of these iconic commercials, picture this: A dude (usually someone who looks like he’s never been within ten feet of a barbell) sprays Lynx, and immediately, women start sprinting toward him like it’s Black Friday at a high-end department store.

These ads weren’t banned for being sexually suggestive (though, some were reined in), but for being ridiculous. In fact, the UK banned one for misleading claims that insinuated the deodorant could turn any man into a pheromone-fueled Adonis. Authorities pointed out that, while Lynx might cover up the scent of last night’s pizza, it probably won’t transform anyone into a walking cologne advertisement.

I love the Specsavers advert that takes the Mick out of the Lynx advert (below):

Pepsi’s “Live for Now” Debacle: Solving World Peace One Soda at a Time

I already talked about this one in a previous article, but in 2017, Pepsi made one of the most misguided attempts at “woke” advertising we’ve ever seen. The ad featured Kendall Jenner stepping out of a photoshoot to join a protest, eventually handing a police officer a can of Pepsi, as if soda was the solution to decades of social and political unrest.

The backlash was immediate, with critics accusing the ad of trivialising the Black Lives Matter movement. It was pulled within 24 hours, but not before becoming a meme factory. Honestly, it’s still hard to watch that commercial without hearing the collective facepalming of millions.

The Dangers of Fast and Furious… Car Insurance Ads?

There’s something comforting about a car insurance ad that promises to save you 15% or more in 15 minutes. But what happens when the promise veers into territory more suited for Fast and Furious than a calm discussion about premiums?

In 2012, the UK banned an ad from the price comparison site Confused.com for showing a woman driving erratically to avoid a speeding ticket, only to be told, “Don’t worry about that fine; we’ve got great insurance for you!” Critics said it trivialised unsafe driving, and rightly so.

Perfume Ads So Sexy, They Got Banned

Apparently, perfume ads must follow one strict rule: the ad must be so vague that no one has any idea what’s being sold until the very last frame. Cue soft-focus lens, impossibly attractive model, and a voice whispering something unintelligible in French.

Occasionally, perfume companies take things a bit too far. Dior’s Sauvage once had a TV ad banned for being so overtly sensual that it was deemed inappropriate for kids. Just imagine: Johnny Depp wanders through the desert like he’s about to start an indie rock band, digs a hole, buries his jewellery, and somehow this means you should smell like him.

Gender Stereotypes: “Now, That’s Man’s Work!” (Or Not)

In recent years, many ads have been banned for reinforcing harmful gender stereotypes. UK’s 2019 regulations specifically targeted ads that suggest men are clueless about basic household tasks, or that women are incapable of parallel parking. A case in point was a Volkswagen ad that featured men doing cool space stuff while women… wait for it… took care of babies. Because nothing says “we’ve advanced as a species” like reducing women to child-rearing robots.

It’s 2024, people. Men do laundry. Women fix cars. And everyone is still terrible at assembling IKEA furniture.

8. Print Media (for Certain Products)

Certain types of products have been banned from advertising in print media, especially when targeting younger or vulnerable audiences:

• Tobacco Ads: Many countries have banned tobacco advertising in all forms of media, including print. In some places, even e-cigarette and vaping ads are banned.
• Prescription Drugs: Some countries, like Canada and the European Union, limit or ban direct-to-consumer prescription drug ads in print media to avoid misleading claims about medication effectiveness and safety.

9. Cinema Advertising

In some places, cinemas are restricted in terms of the types of ads they can show:

• Adult Content in Family Movies: Advertising for adult-themed content or products (like alcohol or sexual health products) is often banned from being shown before movies that are rated for family or children’s audiences. Makes sense…
• Political Ads: In some regions, political advertising in cinemas is banned to avoid the perception of partisanship in entertainment venues.

The Impact of Media Channel Bans on Advertisers

These bans on specific media channels are designed to protect vulnerable audiences (especially children), prevent the spread of misinformation, and promote public health. As a result, advertisers need to be creative in finding alternative ways to reach their audiences while respecting these restrictions. However, with the rise of digital platforms and targeted online advertising, many companies have found new channels that offer precision marketing, albeit with their own set of rules and regulations.

In the end, if you’re an advertiser with questionable motives (cough tobacco cough), the answer is clear: it’s getting harder to find a loophole. But for the rest of us, this only helps ensure that the ads we see are (hopefully) a little more ethical and a lot less harmful.