Why it got people talking: The ad was banned by U.K. regulators at the start of 2024 because it presented Twigs as “a stereotypical sexual object.” With support from fans, FKA Twigs protested the original ban herself, pointing to “other campaigns past and current” that remained uncensored, i.e., another poster for the brand fronted by Jeremy Allen White in boxers.
What happened next: The U.K. watchdog reversed its ruling concluding the ads were unlikely to offend based on objectification. However, it still decreed the imagery to be “overtly sexual,” and said the billboards should be banned so people under 16 years old could not see them in an “untargeted medium.”
2. Bumble’s ‘vow of celibacy’ fumble
The ad: A bright yellow billboard from the dating app Bumble featuring a smiling woman next to the copy: “You Know Full Well a Vow of Celibacy is Not the Answer.”
Why it got people talking: Critics said the ads were misogynistic, and chastised women for avoiding casual sex. Those who had chosen a celibate lifestyle were also down on the brand’s “tone deaf” and “patronizing” campaign, which was part of a wider multi-channel relaunch.
What happened next? The incident became known as “The Great Bumble Fumble,” leading the brand to withdraw the ad within days and issue an apology. “Our ads referencing celibacy were an attempt to lean into a community frustrated by modern dating and instead of bringing joy and humor, we unintentionally did the opposite,” a spokesperson said.
