It takes some guts to create a nationally televised Super Bowl commercial that's so racy or offensive it gets rejected by the very television networks that stand to make millions off selling the necessary air time. But every year, there are always those few companies that push the envelope, and get the infamous stamp of 'banned' for their efforts.
Super Bowl 52
PETA - Redemption
Peta is at it again. No sex this time. But controversial nonetheless. Actually at this point its hard to tell if Peta is even seriously aiming to air these ads at all during the Super Bowl and not just capitalizing off of creating an ad around the Super Bowl and calling it 'banned'. Either way, here is the 'Super Bowl' ad they created that will not be airing during the big game:
PETA - Redemption - Super Bowl Commercial (2018)
Super Bowl 51
GNC - #CourageToChange
This banned ad is one of the more curious, as the ad itself is certainly not ban worthy. The company is what the NFL took issue with. GNC reportedly sold banned substances. Instant clash; instant ban..
GNC - #CourageToChange - Super Bowl Commercial (2017)
84 Lumber - The Entire Journey
84 Lumber went over Donald Trump and the border wall. The NFL didn't like what they saw out of their first try. Thus they banned it. 84 Lumber did in fact air a Super Bowl 51 commercial, but here's the one the NFL found to 'political' to air:
84 Lumber - The Entire Journey - Super Bowl Commercial (2017)
Super Bowl 50
Scores Strip Club in New York:
The most recent ad to be banned from airing during Super Bowl 50 was by Scores, the famous New York strip club. TMZ has the exclusive rights to the official ad, if you would like to check out what the NFL and CBS both quickly turned down, saying the ad "didn't meet the standards of the NFL". ---
No Boob Tube For Super Sunday ... SB Commercial Banned
PeTA Animal Rights Organization - Last Longer
Next up was the animal rights organization PeTA. They have a long history of creating way over the top ads, in hopes of catching some attention, going viral, that sort of thing. And this ad is certainly that. It's basically soft core porn. Which hey, I'm not a prude. But they certainly never thought for one second that the NFL or CBS would accept this ad. It's clearly a marketing tactic on their part, unlike Score's which seemed to legitimately think they had a shot. Here's that vid:
PeTA - Last Longer - Super Bowl Commercial (2016)
Super Bowl 49
Carl's Jr. / Hardees
The Carl's Jr. Au Naturel advertisement has been banned because of its sexually suggestive nature. It's in poor taste, far too poor for the Super Bowl 49 audience at large. Well, you can be the judge of if this is ban-worthy or not:
Hardees - The All Natural Burger feat Charlotte McKinney - Au Naturel Commercial?
PRO Draft League - Thank God Football Is Over
And then there's the PRO Draft League - Thank God Football Is Over ad, poking fun at the NFL by stating the obvious: this has been a football season marred with player scandal after scandal. Bring on the hockey! ... the NFL actually denied this one outright.
GoDaddy - Puppy
Then there is the GoDaddy commercial, about the puppy. You can read all about the controversy that eventually lead to GoDaddy pulling it's own ad here. Basically though, animal rights activists back-lashed hard over the ad's supposed poor treatment to the little pup, citing 'puppy mills'. This was enough to have GoDaddy apologize and take down the ad. They do promise to air another in it's place on game day, albeit considerably less controversial.