Ashton Kutcher plays four characters on a fake dating show in billboard and video ads for Popchips snacks. The caricatures of a spacey stoner, vain fashion designer and bearded biker were silly, but the character of a leering Bollywood producer named Raj — played by Kutcher in brownface, no less — sparked a backlash labeling the ad as racist. Popchips pulled the video ad even though it defended it in the apology posted on its website, calling the dating show spoof “a light-hearted parody… that was meant to provide a few laughs.”
What Were They Thinking? 10 Ads That Sparked Controversy
Cringe-inducing ads can do a lot to tarnish a company's image. Here's ten examples of advertisements gone wrong and how each company handled the fallout.
