Viral marketing campaigns: Controversy

Cases
154
Median Spread Score
43
Most started on
YouTube31%
First post to peak
3 days

By mechanic

All380Controversy154Newsjacking140Response chain110Transgression108Real-world spectacle75Pairing74Mystery & lore60Scarcity drop49Visible in use46Creator relay41Identity badge29Challenge26Maker origin18Underdog17Political adoption16Sell-out loop16Remixable template15Shareable output13Revival11Brand pile-on9Fandom mobilisation7Dupe economy6

Colossal's Dire Wolf Announcement

69
SOUND ON. You’re hearing the first howl of a dire wolf in over 10,000 years. Meet Romulus and Remus—the world’s first de-extinct animals, born on October 1, 2024. The dire wolf has been extinct for…

120B impressions

Just One Cornetto (ReMAXed)

62
Susan Boyle on Instagram: "#ad | Well… it Boyled over 🔥 I couldn’t keep you all waiting – Just One is yours. Two icons back for summer. The @cornettouki track you know and love, reMAXed with the…

4.6B impressions

Grand Theft Auto VI Trailer 1

62
Grand Theft Auto VI Trailer 1

268M views

Apple Three Minutes

58
An iPhone X-shot film about a train attendant’s brief Chinese New Year reunion with her son.

40M views

The McWhopper Proposal

57
.@McDonalds let’s #SettleTheBeef to raise awareness for @PeaceOneDay. #McWhopperProposal http://t.co/GEXRHve53D http://t.co/o3APQ2QzKC

9.3B impressions

IHOb

57
For 60 pancakin’ years, we’ve been IHOP. Now, we’re flippin’ our name to IHOb. Find out what it could b on 6.11.18. #IHOb

42.5B impressions

Gritty

56
It me. #Gritty

101M impressions

Hyundai: A Message to Space

56
Hyundai : A Message to Space

70M views

Whopper Whopper

55
Whopper Whopper (Extended)

1B impressions

Anthropic (Claude): A Time and a Place

55
Ads are coming to AI. But not to Claude. Keep thinking.

8.3B impressions

Dove Real Beauty Sketches

55
A forensic artist drew women from their own descriptions and from descriptions given by strangers.

4B impressions

IKEA paid Roblox jobs

55
Official game screenshot showing the IKEA showroom and co-worker avatars.

16B impressions

Ariel: Dads #ShareTheLoad

53
Why is Laundry only a mother’s job? Dads #ShareTheLoad (Hindi) – Ariel

2B impressions

Dundee: The Son of a Legend Returns Home

53
DUNDEE: The Son Of A Legend Returns Home (2018) Official Movie Teaser Trailer #1

9.2B impressions

Heinz: #FindTheKetchupBoatGuy

53
Heinz on Instagram: "To whoever finds this message, We need your help tracking down an amazing man with an amazing story. You may remember Elvis Francois as the brave sailor who survived on nothing…

3.7B impressions

Taco Bell: Freeing Taco T***day

53
Taco *Bleep* (Commercial) | Taco Bell

21B impressions

A Recipe for Seduction

52
A Recipe for Seduction | Presented by Kentucky Fried Chicken | Full Mini-Movie | Lifetime

1.8B impressions

Burger King Whopper Neutrality

52
An in-store video stunt that charged more for faster Whoppers to explain net neutrality.

4.3B impressions

BYD Demolish the Old Legends

52
Contemporary screenshot of BYD’s original Weibo film, posted at 20:10.

800M impressions

(di)vision tablecloth dress

52
how they closed the (di)vision fw23 rtw show at copenhagen fashion week

5M views

Jaguar: Copy Nothing

52
Jaguar | Copy Nothing

160M views

Love Has No Labels

52
Campaign graphic with two skeletons and a framed photograph of clasped hands.

1.5B impressions

Coinbase Bouncing QR Code

51
A pink QR code on black from the aired creative, shown in Wavemaker’s campaign case study.

14B impressions

Momondo: The DNA Journey

51
momondo – The DNA Journey

8.3B impressions

Rang-tan

51
Rang-tan: the story of dirty palm oil

4B impressions

Fearless Girl

50
'Fearless Girl' statue face off Wall Street Bull in New York

4.6B impressions

IKEA Guilty Pets

50
3.INGO Hamburg - IKEA Al-Futtaim - Don’t worry, you can afford it.Sami

4.1B impressions

Netflix: Alcaraz Signs

50
Who/what/where/when? “N” 🖊️ @carlosalcaraz @BNPPARIBASOPEN

1.2B impressions

Orange: WoMen's Football

50
Vous avez aimé cette vidéo ? Et bien surprise surprise, c'est du football féminin. Regardez et attendez la 45e seconde : contre-pied parfait, allez les Bleues !

2B impressions

Billie's Scratch-and-Sniff Armpits

49
Billie on Instagram: "Love the fresh smell of @billie pits in the morning #whatisnewyork #billiepartner"

1.75B impressions

Mikayla Nogueira’s Telescopic Lift ad

49
THESE ARE THE LASHES OF MY DREAMS!! @lorealparisusa never lets me down 😭 #TelescopicLift #LorealParisPartner #LorealParis @zoehonsinger

64.2M views

Novig Just Sports

49
Confirmed: Sydney Sweeney knows ball.

Tubi: Interface Interruption

49
Tubi Interface Interruption | Super Bowl

7B impressions

Burger King Whopper Detour

48
Whopper Detour print creative changed a restaurant sign to Billions Swerved.

3.5B impressions

Domino's Paving for Pizza

48
Don't Let Bad Potholes Ruin Good Pizza! Domino's Starts Paving for Pizza

1.1B impressions

Emirates Burj Khalifa A380 flypast

48
See you at Dubai Expo | Emirates

17.5M views

Fiat Operation No Grey

48
FIAT | Waiting for… operation No Grey

10.2M views

Nara Smith Makes a Marc Jacobs Tote from Scratch

48
The Tote Bag, made from scratch by @Nara Smith

17M views

Streamberry / You Are Awful

48
Madison Is Awful, now streaming in London. #YouAreAwful

1.6M views

adidas: Hey Jude

47
Full adidas reactive creative with an upside-down logo, Bellingham's boot and the Euro match ball.

593M impressions

AVAVAV Fake It Till You Break It

47
Avavav on Instagram: "AW23 - ‘Fake it til you break it’ Creative director - @beate.karlsson Film director - @danielhallberg Photographer - @petroli0 Videographer - @leo.casalini Mua -…

128.1M views

Cetaphil Game Time Glow

47
#GameTimeGlow 💚 A New Sports Tradition for Dads & Daughters

5.7B impressions

Coors Light: Case of the Mondays

47
Coors Light Chill Face Roller holding a beer can.

12.8B impressions

CRED Antakshari

47
Me returning to home from college after a successful Mass Bunk :

Doritos Rainbows

47
Doritos Rainbows bags beside rows of multicolored chips, from the campaign designer’s portfolio.

2B impressions

Ford Capri: The Legend…Is Back

47
Miles Myerscough-Harris | Expired Film Club on Instagram: "Shooting 35mm film during the opening game of @EURO2024 at a German Bierkeller 🎞️🍻 the German fans went mad! Do you like the results?…

1B impressions

Frida’s Breast Milk Ice Cream Campaign

47
‘Breast milk ice cream’ now available: What’s really inside

7.8B impressions

Nike Breaking2 Race

47
Nike’s live broadcast of its attempt to run a marathon below two hours at Monza.

30M impressions

Pepsi Kendall Jenner Jump In

47
Pepsi Commercial - SNL

385M impressions

McDonald's UK: Raise Your Arches

46
Edgar Wright’s office workers invited colleagues to McDonald’s by raising their eyebrows to Yello’s Oh Yeah.

4.4M impressions

Payless Palessi

46
The Payless Experiment

8.8B impressions

Tarte’s Dubai influencer trip

46
#stitch with @christineabrahamm my thoughts on this Tarte influencer trip to Dubai

1B impressions

Adidas Support Is Everything breast grid

45
Official Breast Gallery campaign image in the copywriter’s portfolio.

Burger King Google Home of the Whopper

45
A Whopper ad whose spoken Google command made nearby Home speakers read Wikipedia.

10.5B impressions

Equinox: We Don’t Speak January

45
It’s not you, it’s January. #ItsNotFitnessItsLife

2.4B impressions

Gustaf Westman Baguette Holder

45
Gustaf Westman on Instagram: "Made a baguette holder for my Paris pop-pop! 🥖 3 RUE CUNIN-GRIDAINE, Saturday and sunday 11-19"

HBO Max: The Re-Rebrand

45
What is dead may never die. HBO Max coming this summer. Same app, new-ish name.

10B impressions

Heineken Worlds Apart

45
A film pairing strangers with opposing beliefs to build a bar, then choose whether to discuss differences over beer.

2B impressions

Nike Dream Crazy

45
Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything. #JustDoIt

710M impressions

Revolut Luís Figo: Hazlo por tu dinero

45
Revolut’s Figo billboard in Madrid, photographed in the executive’s launch post.

Balenciaga Paris destroyed sneaker campaign

44
os novos tênis da balenciaga vou postar aqui e você pense o que quiser

390M impressions

Budweiser: Lost Dog

44
A Budweiser commercial about a lost puppy and the Clydesdales that came to its aid.

Peaked at #1

Clé de Peau Beauté: Thirst Trap feat. Martha Stewart

44
#ad Gorgeous, gorgeous people love @cledepeaubeauteUS concealer! #ad #cledepeaubeaute

48M on a 845K followers at seed

Cybertruck vs Porsche Drag Race

44
Feat of Strength 3: Cyberbeast (0-60 in 2.6s)

73.8M impressions

Durex: 18 Years. 2 Virgins.

44
Durex India on Instagram: "First times are always special! Who are you rooting for? #Durex #DurexIndia #Finals"

Martha Stewart: I Only Wear MAC

44
M·A·C Cosmetics on Instagram: "I’m Martha Stewart and #IOnlyWearMAC. #MACFleshpot #MACNudes MUA: @daisybeautytoye"

Samsung: UnCrush

44
Creativity cannot be crushed | Samsung

61M impressions

Volkswagen’s Elis Regina and Maria Rita AI Duet

44
VW 70 anos | Gerações | VW Brasil

2.7B impressions

Assume That I Can

43
ASSUME THAT I CAN | World Down Syndrome Day 2024

35M views

Back Market: Hack Market

43
Back Market - Hack Market (ENG)

100M impressions

BARK Air: Dogs Fly First

43
Introducing BARK Air: A 100% totally real airline for dogs. We're dog people, and we are tired of there being no truly dog-friendly options when it comes to air travel. Now booking the best-in-class…

17.8B impressions

Cluely launch

43
Cluely is out. cheat on everything.

Dove Cost of Beauty

43
Social Media's Impact on Kids' Mental Health: A Dove Film

11.1B impressions

Ford Men's Only Edition Explorer

43
A spoof Explorer ad removed features credited to women and revealed a tribute for Women’s History Month.

39M impressions

Grindr: I Wool Survive

43
The knitted Knight look on the I Wool Survive runway, from Grindr’s official collection gallery.

2.4B impressions

NYX x Cardi B Duck Plump

43
A Cardi B lip gloss ad that ended with a mock news report about men misusing Duck Plump.

2M views

ROC by Ronaldo: Cristiano Ronaldo in Disguise

43
51M views · 523 reactions | People are going to think that I’m crazy! #LIVELIFELOUD Click here to check out my new brand at ebay.com/roc | Cristiano Ronaldo

Peaked at #1

Android: Friends Furever

42
An animal-friendship montage set to Roger Miller’s Oo-De-Lally from Robin Hood.

Peaked at #1

Apple Welcome Home

42
A HomePod film in which FKA twigs danced through an expanding apartment to Anderson .Paak.

Peaked at #1

Audi Andy Lau Xiaoman advertisement

42
Audi Secures Rights to Plagiarized Ad for Free

445M impressions

British Airways: May We Haveth One’s Attention

42
British Airways | Safety Video 2024 | May We Haveth One’s Attention

2.4M views

Dr. Squatch Nick Cannon Ball Insurance

42
Dr. Squatch on Instagram: "It’s official! I have the most valuable balls in the world! @drsquatch has insured them for $10M through their Ball-to-Ball Coverage. Visit http://drsquatch.com/balls to…

12B impressions

Government of Tuvalu: The First Digital Nation

42
Rising sea levels force Tuvalu to move to the Metaverse: COP27 speech

2.1B impressions

Visit Oslo: Is It Even a City?

42
Is it even a city?

8M views

IKEA’s Punch found-family campaign

41
IKEA India on Instagram: "The world loves you, Punch! 🐒🧡🦧 #がんばれパンチ #KeepGoingPunch"

55M impressions

Cards Against Humanity Saves America

40
Cards Against Humanity Saves America

$2.3M revenue

Coperni’s spray-on dress

40
It wouldn’t be Paris Fashion Week without a major gasp moment – and the Coperni SS23 show concluded in the most spectacular fashion with Bella Hadid acting as a human mannequin for a spray-on dress…

MapQuest's Lake Ontario stance

40
We’re not changing it.

Peaked at #1

MSCHF Microscopic Handbag

40
MSCHF on Instagram: "Microscopic Handbag by MSCHF🔬 Smaller than a grain of sea salt and narrow enough to pass through the eye of a needle, this is a purse so small you'll need a microscope to see…

$63.8K revenue

Rabbit R1

40
Introducing r1

40M impressions

Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans

40
A blonde woman wearing denim pictured laying down in a billboard advertisement

Buster the Boxer

39
John Lewis Christmas Advert 2016 - #BusterTheBoxer

22K sold

Cash App and Timothée Chalamet’s Sphere stunt

39
Timothée Chalamet on Instagram: "MARTY SUPREME OUT IN 3 DAYS TICKET LINK IN BIO"

1.3M views

Columbia Sportswear: Expedition Impossible

39
Expedition Impossible | Columbia Sportswear

80M impressions

IKEA Phone Sleep Collection

39
IKEA UAE on Instagram‎: "A new era of sleep begins tonight with the Phone Sleep Collection. Available in stores when you shop Dhs750+, including one item from the Complete Sleep Collection. Tuck…

650M impressions

Mog’s Christmas Calamity

39
Mog’s Christmas Calamity | Sainsbury’s Ad | Christmas 2015

11.5M impressions

Specsavers wrong-city airport welcome signs

39
Specsavers Welcome to Melbourne billboard on a road at Sydney Airport.

97.2M impressions

Jeremy Allen White for Calvin Klein Spring 2024

38
Jeremy Allen White in Calvin Klein Underwear | Spring 2024 Campaign

9M impressions

e.l.f. So Many Dicks

38
Official So Many Dicks campaign artwork with a grid of male portraits.

5B impressions

Lidl Eau de Croissant

38
Plunge Creations’ croissant-shaped bottles for Lidl’s perfume campaign.

9M views

The North Face helicopter jacket delivery

38
Replying to @Timbrodini We were busy express delivering @Jenn her jacket at the top of mountain. Thanks for the help Jossi!

20.7M impressions

Peloton: Such a Great App

38
We love all our Members...even those who observe interesting holidays #NationalNudeDay

400K views

Caverna do Dragão: O Retorno

38
A live-action Renault ad gave the Dungeons & Dragons cartoon a homecoming in a Kwid Outsider.

1B impressions

The Ordinary's Ordinarily Priced Eggs

38
The Ordinary on Instagram: "We heard NYC needed eggs. 🥚 This weekend, you can get 12 ordinarily priced eggs at our stores for $3.37. No frills, just eggs. While supplies last. 📍 Nolita 26 Prince…

Vim Black for Men

38
Is this a joke?

330M impressions

Budweiser Born the Hard Way

37
People Want to Boycott Budweiser Over Its Super Bowl Immigration Ad | Fortune

Peaked at #1

Dame’s Trump Tariff Surcharge

37
Yes, there’s a “Trump Tariff Surcharge” in our checkout. | Alexandra Fine

Vigil Aunty

37
Origin Story of Vigil Aunty | HDFC Bank | #StayVigil

MSCHF x Crocs Big Red Boot (Yellow)

37
Raw results, Aug. 7, 2023

9.5M views

Škoda x Zepto: Ten-Minute Test Drives

37
Zepto on Instagram: "Humare pass mixer hai, phone hai, tablet hai, aur abb… Coming soon on 8th Feb! #SkodaIndia #SkodaIndiaNewEra #LetsExplore"

100M impressions

Diablo Deaths: Megan Fox Eulogies

36
#DiabloIV is here, embrace the bloodshed. Share videos of your in-game death on Twitter or TikTok using #DiabloDeaths for a chance to have your eulogy read by @meganfox on June 8th.

36M impressions

New Coke x Stranger Things

36
The upside-down New Coke vending machine used for the Stranger Things promotion.

Healthier on Ro with Serena Williams

36
Serena Williams injects herself with a GLP-1 weight loss drug as millions watch the Super Bowl. She dances and shows off how “convenient” it is to get GLP-1s using the Ro app. She even says you can…

12M views

Apple TV+: Silo in a Tweet

35
Award-entry board showing Apple TV’s original full-episode Silo tweet.

58M impressions

Coperni robot dogs

35
Robots abren el desfile de Coperni FW23 #pfw

216.7K impressions

Kalshi’s “The World’s Gone Mad” AI ad

35
The world’s gone mad

18M impressions

e.l.f.ino & schmarnes

34
so like, why is @elfcosmetics working with a man like matt rife who is extremely misogynistic and sexist when their primary demographic is women?

33.8M views

Gisou Girl Fridge

34
Create’s 107L Fridge Retro, the base model used for the Gisou gifting collaboration.

250 derivatives

Electrikhana: High Stakes Playground, Las Vegas

33
Ken Block’s ELECTRIKHANA: High Stakes Playground; Las Vegas, in the Audi S1 HOONITRON

100M impressions

Coperni Air Swipe Bag Reveal

33
coperni on Instagram: "The Air Swipe Bag Composition: 99% air 1% glass Weight: 33 grams Dimension: 27x16x6cm Made of NASA’s nanomaterial silica aerogel, the lightest solid on planet Earth, the Air…

4.5M views

Dr. Squatch Body Wash Genie

33
Sydney Sweeney granted men wishes for natural body wash in Dr. Squatch’s Guys Only Want One Thing spot.

7.3M views

Friend pendant subway campaign

33
vandalized friend ad, totally saw that one coming

25.9M impressions

JD Sports x The North Face Big Ben puffer

33
JD Sports on Instagram: "We’re all on an expedition 🤝 #JD #JDSports #TNF #TheNorthFace #BensNotHot"

25.7M impressions

Barbie: Imagine the Possibilities

31
Imagine The Possibilities | @Barbie

Batiste x Jen Affleck: Hair Redemption Arc

31
If you saw my hair before this… no you didn’t 😌 thanks @Batiste #batistepartner

20.3M views

L’Oréal Paris CGI lipstick car

31
L'Oréal Paris Official on Instagram: "Fasten your seatbelt and prepare to make a bold entrance with our Infaillible Matte Resistance liquid lipstick! Elevate your lip-game to a whole new level with…

3.5M views

Oddly IKEA ASMR

31
“Oddly IKEA”: IKEA ASMR

88M impressions

Valentino Pink PP

31
Valentino Pink PP Collection

Alexander Wang Ricco Celebrity Lookalikes

30
alexanderwang on Instagram: "100% certified authentic - ricco back in stock 5.22"

22.3M views

Hims & Hers: Sick of the System

30
Hims & Hers Big Game Commercial: “Sick of the System”

Shah Rukh Khan-My-Ad

30
Ogilvy and Wavemaker: #NotJustACadburyAd and Shah Rukh Khan-My-Ad

1.4M impressions

SKIMS Mens All-Star campaign

30
SKIMS MENS LAUNCHING 10.26

244M impressions

Durex Annu Kapoor true-friend advertisement

29
Durex India on Instagram: "Nolan : 0, Annu Kapoor : 1 . . . . . . #Collaboration"

806.6K impressions

Meet the New Volvo EX90

29
Meet the new Volvo EX90

351.9M impressions

Goop: The Diapér

28
goop on Instagram: "Meet The Diapér. Our new disposable diaper lined with virgin alpaca wool and fastened with amber gemstones, known for their ancient emotional-cleansing properties. Infused with a…

150M impressions

I Bought This After Elon Went Crazy

28
Bad look @Kia to have your official Instagram account in Norway posting stuff like this.

Swan Beauty: Acquired a Husband

28
Welcome to Acquired Air #acquiredahusband

19.9M impressions

CRED’s Rejection with Gautam Gambhir

27
Rejection | ft. Gautam Gambhir | CRED

Binance #CryptoCelebAlert

26
Superstars ≠ crypto experts. Music artist @JBALVIN says “do your own research”. On 2.13 when big names try to give you crypto advice — 🚨 sound #CryptoCelebAlert and grab 1/2222 NFTs of basketball…

Julie: Your Friends with Benefits

26
Two women argued over the last box of Julie, comparing reasons they could not have a baby with their partners.

9.4M views

SKIMS Ultimate Nipple Bra launch campaign

26
Kim Kardashian on Instagram: "COMING OCT 31: THE ULTIMATE NIPPLE BRA. Perfect fullness with a built-in, faux nipple for shock factor – meet the newest innovation to our Ultimate Bra collection on…

10.1M impressions

BYD Yangwang U9 Pothole Jump

25
BYD launch photographs of the Yangwang U9 supercar.

Jacquemus Le Bambino bag buses

25
JACQUEMUS on Instagram: "I THINK I LIKE PARIS NOW 🫠"

8.8M impressions

Purina: Puppyhood

24
Puppyhood

Peaked at #1

Maggie Smith for Loewe

22
Jonathan Anderson on Instagram: "So proud Juergen Teller captures @LOEWE Spring Summer 2024 precollection featuring #MaggieSmith Photography @JuergenTellerStudio Creative direction…

Sylvanian Drama for Marc Jacobs

22
Kildare-based Thea von Engelbrechten started using Sylvanian Families toys to create online videos during the Covid pandemic

Renault Scenic’s Tesla-Detecting Billboard

22
new #Renault #Scenic #ETech 100% #electric, embarrassingly already car of the year. #RenaultRethink

16.3K views

Welcome to Featherstone

21
Featherstone University | Colorado Mesa University

18M impressions

Coinbase’s “Everything Is Fine” musical

19
If everything is fine, then don’t change anything at all. But when the financial system isn’t working for so many people in the UK, it needs to be updated.

4.3M impressions

Maybelline Sky High CGI lashes

18
Maybe London’s born with it, Maybe it’s✨Maybelline ✨

5.5M impressions

Samsung Galaxy S5 Ice Bucket Challenge

18

4M views

Whopper Sacrifice

18
Whopper Sacrifice Facebook application shown in the campaign portfolio

Nicola Coughlan for Skims Soft Lounge

17
Nicola Coughlan wearing a white Soft Lounge slip dress amid flowers in the official campaign.

Sabrina Carpenter for Skims Spring 2024

15
Sabrina Carpenter on Instagram: "hellooo it’s sabrina your spring @skims girl 💞🍒🐣 Spring intimates drop 4.03 at skims.com"

1.7M impressions

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