Super Bowl Commercials the Networks Banned

Outdoor Entertainment
by Adam Roy Feb 6, 2010
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.

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