Ten adverts that shocked the world

Germany: Crisis what crisis?

Germany does not share the economic pain of the likes of Greece and Spain and thus does not feel the...

Access denied: Eating Disorder treatments

Nobody should have to fight or get down on their knees and beg for help. Nobody should be told that ...

Odd Future’s true legacy

Odd Future have done me a favour. I was watching "Rella", the new video by the Californian rap outfi...

Hertha Berlin send SOS to Otto Rehhagel

It is not often these days that one sees emergency aid go from Greece to Germany. But with Otto Rehh...

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Advertising is a world in which the normal is beautified, cracks are airbrushed over and real-life is portrayed with rose tinted glasses. And all with the intention of getting the consumers to buy into such ideals.

It is all the more uncomfortable therefore when advertisers seek to shock rather than tantalise, although the effect can be incredible as we have seen today, following the controversy sparked by a French anti-smoking group's poster campaign (right).

We've picked nine other controversial advertising campaigns to test how the shock factor compares.

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