Strong language? Nudity? Stereotypes? They are all represented in the ads you will review for this AdForum exercise. Why do advertisers court controversy by producing potentially disturbing, offensive, or outrageous ads? Sometimes it is because the line between attention-grabbing and offensive is quite thin. Sometimes it is because advertisers just don’t care if people are offended, so long as they are not in the target audience. Sometimes an ad at the edge of offensiveness cultivates a “rebellious” image for the advertiser. And sometimes, no matter how it is advertised, the product itself is controversial.

1. Look over the ads for this segment and for each
a. Rate the ad on a scale of offensiveness where 1 = “not at all offensive,” and 10 = “extremely offensive.”
b. If you scored the ad above a 5 on your scale, indicate why you were offended. What should the advertiser have done differently?
c. What is the thread that connects those ads that offend you? Those that don’t?

2. Find your own examples of offensive ads in the AdForum database.
a. What makes your examples offensive?
b. Do you think most people would agree with you? Who would not be offended by the ads you’ve selected?
c. How should people respond to the offensive ads you’ve found? Are the ads offensive enough that people should boycott the advertiser? The vehicle (TV show, newspaper) in which the ad appeared? Or is shrugging off offensive ads as the price of free speech the best answer? What other ways can consumers react to ads they don’t like?