10Yetis - Online Video Company Insight - 10 most controversial online videos

There’s an uncertain number of ways to get your video campaign noticed online. There are ways that will be more likely than others. Focus on a ‘share trigger’ for your audience and you’ll be flying. Funny, cute, shocking and controversial are all emotions which are likely to get a share. So today we’re focussing on the most controversial video advertisements and web video campaigns of all time.

1.& 2. Evil Ford KA cat & Evil Ford KA Pigeon

So first let’s look at the classic Ford KA adverts which introduced the new model, the Ford SportKa. These videos were made all the way back in 2003. The early days. The videos were made as described at the time as a viral marketing tactic. So ahead of the time. The clip was rejected by the higher ups at ford because of it being distasteful, however the video was apparently released “by mistake” and quickly spread among those with a taste for black humour. The backlash from animal cruelty prevention charities was especially harsh. The RSPCA said "Using highly distasteful depictions of animal suffering to sell a product is abhorrent.”

It's all very 2004, you see far worse on the internet these days, but it definitely wins the crown for being one of the first highlt contorversial online videos. The two videos from this campaign can be seen below. If you don't like fake animal cruelty do not watch these.

3. VW Terrorist (Not an official brand video)

Now this next video features another car company, VW, takes the word controversial and pushes it to a whole other level. It makes a cat getting its head chopped of by a sun roof, tame. The thing is with this video is that it was a spoof. VW wanted nothing to do with the advert and they described it as bad taste and that they were horrified by it. It turned out that the advert was made as a showreel piece to impress big advertising agencies. VW threatened legal action after the spoof advert began to go viral but it’s never been made clear whether they went ahead with it.

4. VW Bollocks

Really bringing it with the classics in this article aren’t we? Another VW classic is the ‘Bollocks’ advert. A little girl uses the word to show when she is displeased with things and the reveal is that her dad has been saying bollocks when he keeps forgetting that’s supposed to have put diesel in his car instead of petrol. This advert was made specifically for online marketing as its use of a ‘swear word’ would have meant it would not have been allowed on TV. This is another very early use of a viral online advert, being released in 2003.

5. Trojan Condoms

Another old school campaign was the Trojan condoms campaign which created the ‘Trojan Games’. On an Olympics style website, seen here: http://www.trojangames.co.uk/ (Olympics style circa 2003). The video shows athletic competitions you may recognise, such as gymnastics, but with a bit of a twist, they all end with sex. The videos were widely shared on the early days of the internet and easily caught [people’s attention with their humorous and controversial nature.

6. Diesel Jeans:

Diesel created this very controversial advert for their 30th anniversary. The roman numerals for 30 are XXX which clearly gave Diesel the idea to re-edit some XXX films so that they were suitable for work. The advert uses shots from retro porn films and puts colourful work friendly animations over the top of bits that would be inappropriate for work. These are things such as koalas, horse riding, eating sweets and playing the harmonica. This was unsurprisingly a web only advert and is probably Diesels most well-known online video. Controversial works.

7. Kswiss, Kenny Powers:

K Swiss created the ultimate ‘new CEO’ video which featured Kenny Powers, the main character from comedy, Eastbound and Down. The video has swearing, punching, shoe throwing, death by strangling, more swearing. Basically, it’s hilarious and taps into the audience of fans of the already established TV show. Not only was there the TV audience, but also American sports fans were likely to share the video because it featured loads of sports stars playing funny versions of themselves.

8. Paddy power, chav tranquilizer:

A more recent controversial advertorial (banned from TV after 4 days) was the ‘chav tranquiliser’ from self-proclaimed controversial betting service, Paddy Power. The bookies created the ad to promote the upcoming Cheltenham gold cup festival. The advert basically says that paddy power will shoot all the chavs taking over the Cheltenham races with a tranquilizer gun (so they don’t ruin your race day). Controversial, but also amusing.

9. Go Daddy, puppy farm

This year GoDaddy suffered the wrath of many animal lovers after they released their Super bowl commercial; a parody of the Budweiser Super bowl commercial. The advert saw a puppy accidentally get lost from a moving vehicle, and take the long journey back to where he came from. The owner is so happy the puppy makes it back, only to be happy because she had just sold the puppy on her website. The controversy came from those thinking it promoted puppy mills and made them seem normal.

10. Xbox birth to death

Last but not least is the Xbox TV advert which got banned after 136 complaints from viewers. It quickly got reshared on the internet, and the exciting fact that it had been banned meant that everyone went to watch it. The advert shows a baby being born and shooting out the window, as he flies across the skies he ages, into a teenager, a man and finally an elderly man and then he crashes into his grave. Viewers who complained said that it was “offensive, shocking and in poor taste”. This is probably one of Xbox’s most well remembered adverts and once again proves that controversy works when creating online video campaigns. There’s no such thing as bad press, they say.