Friday Fun: Super Bowl Commercials the Networks Banned

02/6/10  Print This Post Print This Post    4 Comments      Written by Adam Roy
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ManCrunch isn’t the first company to have it’s Super Bowl ad rejected. These five spots were pulled for being too racy, too “immoral”, or just plain strange.
1. L-O-L-A (2010)

Internet domain registrar GoDaddy is the undisputed king of banned Super Bowl commercials. This year, they stepped up with a spot starring Lola, a pro football player turned effeminate lingerie designer.

Especially after agreeing to run Tim Tebow’s Focus on the Family ad, CBS’ rejection of this spot doesn’t lend a lot of credence to their claims that they’re not homophobic. Unless you find giggling offensive, Lola seems pretty prime time-worthy.

2. Congressional Wardrobe Malfunction (2004)

Another GoDaddy fave, this series of commercials poking fun at Janet Jackson’s 2003 halftime nip slip is notable for being pulled from rotation during the game itself. Too soon?

3. Vegetable Love (2009)

Famous for their provocative and sometimes overtly sexual campaigns, PETA filmed a commercial for the 2009 Super Bowl claiming that vegetarians have better sex than meat eaters. NBC didn’t appreciate the meat-free frottage, and the ad was pulled.

4. Dating for Married People (2009)

Owned by ManCrunch parent Avid Life Media, Ashley Madison is a dating site for a special audience: married people looking to have affairs. After coming to an agreement with the site, NBC rejected their proposed spot, citing morality concerns.

5. Apology Robot Regrets Your Impending Death (2007)

An ad that’s not so much offensive as just plain weird. A chef sends a beer-toting robot to apologize to his customers for accidentally poisoning them. In the end, everyone ends up laughing it off over cold bottles of Bud Light. And then dies, presumably.

Community Connection

Are network censors too touchy about what they run? Let us know what you think in the comments.


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About the Author

Matador ID: adnroy

Chicago native Adam Roy is editor at Matador Sports and an aspiring renaissance man to boot. For more of Adam's writing, check out his blog at Ill-Advised Adventures.

4 Comments... join the discussion!

  • Candice replied on February 6, 2010

    Oh man, I love these. Although none struck me as horribly offensive.

    ↵ Reply
  • Aaron replied on February 6, 2010

    Its possible that CBS won’t show the Lola commercial because it presents a stereotypical gay man which some might find offensive, not because they’re homophobic. Also, connecting anti-abortion to homophobia is a pretty big leap.

    That said, I think the bud-light commercial is the best.

    ↵ Reply
    • Adam Roy replied to Aaron on February 14, 2010

      I was thinking more of the connection between Focus on the Family, who the commercial is promoting, to homophobia – they’re pretty openly anti-abortion AND anti-gay.

      ↵ Reply

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