The ad: A billboard placed about 15 miles outside Coachella, aimed squarely at the twentysomething revelers who’ve just partied for three days straight. “Catch More Than Vibes?” it asks, followed by a web address: “FreeSTDCheck.org.”
Why it got people talking: The billboard was the work of the LA-based AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF.) The nonprofit provides services to those with HIV and, as the billboard makes obvious, also guides people to free city-sponsored testing for other sexually transmitted diseases. Advertising partner Billups received a cease-and-desist letter from AEG Presents, the owner of Coachella promoter Goldenvoice, demanding the poster be removed.
What happened next? Legalities aside, the dust-up raised a separate issue that’s specific to marketing. When companies guard their brands this assiduously, they risk passing up a goodwill opportunity—in essence, a chance for some free advertising.
4. Molly Baz’s pregnant Swehl ad deemed too risque for Times Square
The ad: A 45-foot billboard for breastfeeding brand Swehl featuring cookbook author Molly Baz, her pregnant belly, a rhinestone bikini, and two lactation cookies covering her breasts.
The controversy: Not long after its debut, OOH owner Clear Channel Outdoor flagged the ad for review, saying the imagery violated its “guidelines on acceptable content.” In response, Swehl’s media partner Brex replaced the original shot with another image from the campaign, showing Baz in jeans and a crop top.
What happened next? The brand capitalized on the controversy to promote its message of empowerment, with co-founders Elizabeth Myer and Betsy Riley telling ADWEEK that Clear Channel’s adjudication underscored the double standards surrounding women’s bodies that persist in advertising. Post-furore, the business organized a New York “Hot Moms March” and noted a 500% increase in traffic to its website, drawing in 40,000 new users.
