This may be one of the stupidest ads ever. Young & Rubicam created a Super Bowl ad for the Lincoln Mark LT Truck/SUV in which a priest finds car keys in the collection plate, goes outside the church and finds the Lincoln. Then he starts caressing the SUV while a song plays with the words, “Is it a sin, is it a crime, loving you dear like I do?” As this is happening, a man shows up with his five year old daughter, who apparently put the keys in the collection plate. The priest returns the keys, breathes heavily, then you see him putting the word “LUST” in big letters on the sign outside the church.
Lincoln has pulled the ad, but only after protest from the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. I’m sure complaints from priests were on the way also. In announcing the decision to pull the ad Ford’s statement said, “of course we had no intention of offending anyone—and we are frankly surprised there is a negative reaction.”
They’re surprised? No, they’re stupid. They are stupid for two reasons: 1) It’s terribly offensive, to many people. 2) This ad wouldn’t sell anything.
You can see the ad at adage.com.