The High-Stakes World of Super Bowl Advertising
With the Super Bowl just days away, the nation prepares for its annual feast of extravagant commercials sandwiched between the highly anticipated football action. This year, billion-dollar corporations are shelling out an eye-watering average of $8 million for mere thirty seconds of airtime during the championship game. These marketing campaigns typically feature out-of-the-box creative concepts and A-list celebrity cameos as businesses desperately attempt to capture viewer attention, make their cultural mark, and ultimately recoup their massive investments.
While some companies have historically succeeded in creating advertisements that become part of cultural lore, not all have been so fortunate. As teams prepare to battle at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, we examine the commercials that ignited widespread outrage and sparked national conversations for all the wrong reasons. These are the most controversial Super Bowl advertisements of all time, serving as cautionary tales in the high-risk world of big-budget marketing.
Just for Feet's Racist Ad That Led to Bankruptcy
Just for Feet's 1999 Super Bowl commercial was so disastrous that the company ultimately sued its advertising agency and never recovered from the damage it caused. Deemed blatantly racist by furious viewers, the advertisement depicted a barefoot Kenyan runner being hunted down by mercenaries who drugged him and knocked him unconscious. When the runner awoke, he discovered Just for Feet shoes had been forcibly placed on his feet.
A brand spokesperson claimed they were attempting to communicate that consumers would do anything to obtain their footwear. However, the ad provoked fierce outrage, particularly because it showed four individuals hunting down a Black man. Just for Feet subsequently sued advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi for $10 million, but the lawsuit was dropped when the shoe company filed for bankruptcy shortly thereafter.
Hims and Hers Accused of Fat-Shaming Americans
Hims and Hers faced severe backlash last year when viewers accused the brand of admonishing Americans for obesity while simultaneously shaming the healthcare industry before promoting its own weight loss medications. The sixty-second commercial, set to rapper Childish Gambino's hit song "This is America," featured a parade of overweight Americans before criticizing the healthcare system for profiting from people's ill health and then promoting its Ozempic-alternative weight loss drug.
Super Bowl viewers immediately blasted the brand's perceived hypocrisy on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), with one user writing: "The most anti-America Super Bowl ad? Easily the Hims & Hers spot—pretending to critique the broken food system while pushing sketchy, unapproved Ozempic knockoffs." Another critic added: "You're part of the system. You're selling drugs and profiting off of failure!"
84 Lumber's Immigration Marketing Ploy
In 2017, 84 Lumber sparked a furious national debate with its nearly six-minute advertisement depicting a Spanish-speaking mother and daughter's journey to the United States. The commercial, which aired just weeks after President Donald Trump's inauguration, showed the duo traveling until they reached the border, only to be confronted by a massive wall. Audiences expressed anger at what they perceived as the company exploiting immigration as a marketing ploy.
In a statement to the Wall Street Journal, 84 Lumber's president and owner Maggie Hardy Magerko defended the advertisement: "Even President Trump has said there should be a 'big beautiful door in the wall so that people can come into this country legally.' It's not about the wall. It's about the door in the wall. If people are willing to work hard and make this country better, that door should be open to them."
Groupon's Tibet Controversy
Groupon sparked international outrage in 2011 when it appeared to make light of political turmoil in Tibet. The Super Bowl commercial, widely deemed tasteless, featured actor Timothy Hutton stating: "The people of Tibet are in trouble, their very culture in jeopardy. But they still whip up an amazing fish curry. And since 200 of us bought on Groupon.com we're getting $30 worth of Tibetan food for just $15 at a Himalayan restaurant in Chicago."
Shortly after the ad aired, Groupon CEO Andrew Mason issued a statement claiming the advertisement was intended as a "spoof" of celebrity-endorsed public service announcements. He added: "Groupon takes the suffering of Tibet seriously and intends to raise money for the Tibetan people."
Focus on the Family's Anti-Abortion Message
One of the NFL's own players faced heavy criticism from women's groups in 2010 after appearing in a commercial that pushed viewers to celebrate life and avoid abortion. Then-college football star Tim Tebow appeared in Focus on the Family's advertisement, which told the story of Pam Tebow's pregnancy in 1987 with the theme "Celebrate Family, Celebrate Life." After falling ill during a mission trip to the Philippines, Tebow's mother ignored her doctor's recommendation to abort her fifth child and gave birth to Tim.
The commercial provoked fierce outrage from women who argued it should never have been approved for broadcast. The New York-based Women's Media Center coordinated a protest with backing from the National Organization for Women, the Feminist Majority, and other groups. Jehmu Greene, president of the Women's Media Center, stated: "An ad that uses sports to divide rather than to unite has no place in the biggest national sports event of the year—an event designed to bring Americans together."
Snickers' Homophobic Advertisement
In 2007, a Snickers advertisement sparked furious backlash and was subsequently pulled from the air for being widely perceived as homophobic. The commercial showed two men eating a Snickers bar Lady and the Tramp-style and accidentally kissing. After the unexpected kiss, both men immediately screamed and demanded they do something "manly."
Many viewers claimed the advertisement promoted the harmful idea that gay men couldn't be masculine and potentially fueled anti-gay bullying. The ad was criticized by both the Human Rights Campaign and the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. Human Rights Campaign president Joe Solmonese stated: "This type of jeering from professional sports figures at the sight of two men kissing fuels the kind of anti-gay bullying that haunts countless gay and lesbian school children on playgrounds all across the country."
General Motors' Robot Suicide Imagery
General Motors also faced significant criticism for its 2007 Super Bowl advertisement depicting a robot taking its own life. The commercial showed a robot being fired from the company's factory for committing a minor error on the job. After being dismissed, viewers saw the robot struggle to find meaningful employment before ultimately throwing itself off a bridge in the middle of the night.
While the robot didn't actually die in the narrative (the story was revealed to be a dream), many viewers took issue with the explicit suicide imagery. A spokesperson for the automotive manufacturing company claimed the advertisement was meant to showcase General Motors' obsession with and commitment to producing quality automobiles. However, the American Society for Suicide Prevention made its objection to the commercial abundantly clear.
GoDaddy's Puppy Mill Controversy
Website domain company GoDaddy pulled its Super Bowl commercial in 2015 after receiving intense criticism from furious animal rights activists. The domain name company's advertisement was roundly criticized for seemingly making light of puppy mills. The commercial opened with a nine-week-old puppy riding in the back of a truck before being thrown out.
After facing a treacherous journey home across train tracks and bridges and through mud and rain, the puppy finally found its way back to its owners' arms. In a cruel twist, the owners were only happy to see their puppy because they had sold him on a website they created with GoDaddy's help. The dog was then promptly placed in a van and driven away by GoDaddy spokesperson and racing star Danica Patrick.
GoDaddy CEO Blake Irving posted a statement on the company's blog addressing the firestorm, arguing that the goal was to "increase awareness" of the company's commitment to helping small businesses build an online presence. "However, we underestimated the emotional response," Irving conceded.
Nationwide Insurance's Dead Child Advertisement
That same year, Nationwide Insurance faced vicious criticism when it aired what viewers described as a "dark" and "depressing" commercial about a young boy who died in an accident. The 2015 advertisement opened with a young boy discussing various life milestones he would miss, including learning to ride a bike, receiving "cooties" from a girl, and getting married.
"I couldn't grow up," the boy stated. "Because I died from an accident." The advertisement showed a haunting image of an overflowing bathtub that led viewers to presume the child died by drowning, alongside the text: "The number one cause of childhood deaths is preventable accidents." Within seconds of airing, thousands of football fans took to social media to express their disgust.
Dodge's Sexist Commercial
Car company Dodge sparked fierce outrage and was branded "sexist" in 2010 after airing an advertisement featuring men listing various annoyances they had with their wives. The commercial showed multiple men blankly staring into the camera while complaining they would attend work meetings, take their wives' calls, wash the sink, put the seat down, and endure other perceived inconveniences related to their partners.
At the end of the list, one man declared: "And because I do this, I will drive the car I want to drive. The Charger, man's last stand." The commercial was slammed by viewers, particularly women, who claimed the advertisement was aimed solely at men and attempted to convince them that purchasing the car would make them feel more "manly." Critics also argued the advertisement was offensive because it emphasized the idea that buying the car represented a protest against women.
Groupon's Rainforest Deforestation Comparison
Coupon company Groupon came under fire again in 2012 for an advertisement that compared the deforestation of the Brazilian rainforest to a Brazilian bikini wax. In the commercial, actress Elizabeth Hurley stated that "not all deforestation is bad" before adding: "And since 100 of us bought on Groupon.com, we're all saving 50 percent on a Brazilian wax at Completely Bare in New York City."
The advertisement received so much criticism that Groupon's co-founder Andrew Mason issued another statement explaining the about-face. "We hate that we offended people, and we're very sorry that we did—it's the last thing we wanted," he said. Mason added that the advertisements would be replaced with "something less polarizing."
PETA's NSFW Vegan Advertisement
PETA aired a not-safe-for-work commercial during the 2016 Super Bowl that left many viewers at a loss for words. The advertisement attempted to convince football fans that those who don't eat meat last longer in bed than those who do, raising eyebrows for showing two scantily-clad couples in intimate bedroom scenes. The commercial was soon banned for its explicit content.
PETA's Senior Vice President Lisa Lange argued that banning the advertisement meant viewers were missing out on "comedy and sex appeal." She stated: "Super Bowl 50 audiences will be missing out on comedy, sex appeal, and the lifesaving message that vegan meals can help clear clogged-up carnivores and get their blood pumping again. PETA's edgy but crowd-pleasing TV spot shows that vegans may have a banana in their pajama pocket, just to snack on later, but they're also really pleased to see you."
