Image via Complex Original
Every year, a number of tech companies drop serious coin, to the tune of almost $4 million, to secure a advertising in 30-second chunks during the most watched sporting event of the year, the Super Bowl. But as we've witnessed firsthand, dropping seven figures on a television commercial doesn’t necessarily guarantee it’ll air during the big game. Repeat offenders like GoDaddy and AshleyMadison.com know the feeling all to well. Yet somehow, it’s these same controversial ads that end up garnering more buzz and YouTube views than the approved ones, turning into viral smash hits come Monday morning. So as we head into NFL Super Bowl XLVII, we invite you to take a look back at the tech commercials that branded "too hot for TV."
Related: The 25 Worst Tech Super Bowl Commercials of All Time
Smart Beep Lets One Rip
Year: 1999
Who doesn't love a good fart joke? Answer: Late '90s Fox TV execs. Till this day, no one has a clue why the network pulled the beeper service ad, which featured a woman passing gas in her blind date's car with company in the backseat. Yes, we’re talking about the same network behind In Living Color, Married With Children, and The Simpsons.
GoDaddy's Wardrobe Malfunction
Year: 2005
One year after the infamous Janet Jackson wardrobe mishap, the web hosting giant thought it could get away with mocking the controversial Super Bowl XXXIX incident. The commercial was presumed too risqué for television. Sadly, we could see GoDaddy pulling a stunt like this at an actually broadcast censorship hearing.
The Bud Light Apology Bot 3000
Year: 2007
Cool idea, terrible execution. The marketing team over at Anheuser-Busch came up with the concept of a dude using a robot to do his dirty work of apologizing to his girlfriend. It all went downhill from there, as the Apology-Bot 3000 rants about the boyfriend feeling regretful over filming the couple's sex tape and selling it in stores, then wasting the money at the strip club on lap dances. Not the best subject matter for a Super Bowl ad.
GoDaddy's "Exposure" Ad
Date: 2008
Wannabe celebs arriving on the red carpet with beavers sounds pretty harmless, if you were to ask us. But poor choice of actions (and words) left the GoDaddy ad on the shelf. So what's the big deal? See what happens when spokesmodel Danica Patrick unzips her leather onesie.
Related: A History of GoDaddy's Biggest Fails
Ashley Madison Commercial No. 1
Year: 2009
Needless to say, NBC wasn’t sold on the extra-marital dating website’s advertisement. CEO Noel Biderman took offense to the banning by attacking the NFL’s publicity of alcohol during its seasonal run. He also promised football fans that he would help “find a way to let them know about the existence of this service.”
Dante's Inferno Goes To Hell
Year: 2010
All it took was a three-word tagline for CBS to remove EA’s commerical for its upcoming action video game, Dante's Inferno. Informing millions upon millions of viewers to “Go to Hell”—not the best marketing strategy. The game publisher was forced to switch the slogan to “Hell Awaits” before it could air it on national TV, making the original cut a fan-favorite amongst hardcore gamers.
Mancrunch.com Pushes Bromance To Whole 'Nother Level
Date: 2010
Mancrunch.com saw nothing wrong with creating a commercial with two male football fans making out on a couch. CBS, on the other hand, did. The network had no problem telling the site that its ad spot was “not within the network's broadcast standards for Super Bowl Sunday." You be the judge.
GoDaddy Introduces Lola
Year: 2010
In 2010, GoDaddy was aiming to create the most controversial Super Bowl ad it could possible conceive. Hence, the introduction of Lola: a former football player turned lingerie designer profiled by company mouthpiece Danica Patrick. Let's just say Lola's femininity didn't sit well with the suits at CBS.
Related: A History of GoDaddy's Biggest Fails
KGB Texting Service
Year: 2010
To say the text message company literally put its head up its ass would be an exaggeration. In fact, it’s far worse than any viewer could possible imagine. We’d like to think not all global warming discussions end in this manner.
Ashley Madison Commercial No. 2
Years: 2011
This was strike two for the online dating service, as the taboo exploits of adult entertainer Savanna Samson couldn't help AshleyMadison.com secure a TV spot on Super Bowl Sunday. According to the Standards and Practices division at Fox, the network "deemed the Ashley Madison spot is not acceptable to air on FOX." Should we remind you of the broadcast station's program lineup? #Hypocrites
JesusHatesObama.com
Year: 2011
The idea of an Obama bobble head sinking into a fishbowl, while Jesus smiles didn’t go over well with Fox. It called the $2.4 million-dollar ad “unacceptable” and yanked it from airing during Super Bowl XLV.
Pornhub.com Gets G-Rated
Year: 2013
Even with no explicit content, conservatives slammed the ad and called it a cover-up for the adult entertainment site. Pornhub said it received the following email response from a CBS rep: “CBS Television Network Standards do not permit advertising related to pornography. Therefore, we cannot accept your submission.” Seems pretty obvious the domain knew it would draw more attention over the ban that having it air on live TV. Wouldn’t you agree?
