A few days ago, Nike released an advertisement featuring Colin Kaepernick, the NFL player who knelt during the National anthem to protest against racial injustice. This week, we look at controversial and path-breaking advertisements.

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1 Some of the most controversial advertisements in recent history featured in the “unhate” campaign, which had images of world leaders locking lips. The billboards had China’s Hu Jintao with Barack Obama, and Pope Benedict XVI kissing Egypt’s Imam Ahmed el Tayeb. Which organisation, known for edgy advertising, released the campaign in 2012?

2 In 1980, a 15-year-old fashion model and future Hollywood star featured in a campaign for jeans which had the tag line, “Nothing comes between me and my ….”. Thirty-seven years later, she returned for a lingerie ad for the same company. Name the star and the manufacturer.

3 In 2013, Kolkata Police released a series of ads against jaywalking, which featured the cover of an iconic music album, almost certainly without permission. Name the album.

4 In 1973, a 22-year-old featured in a DCM Towels campaign. The tag line said, “Towels so good you want to wear them”. The ads were hurriedly withdrawn. Who was the model?

5 In 1985, Carillon president Michel Roux approached Andy Warhol to create the artwork of a product he had imported from a Scandinavian country. The result was hugely popular and resulted in a campaign that continues featuring the likes of Subodh Gupta, Lady Gaga and Swedish House Mafia. Name the brand.

6 The first model to feature in an ad for this soap was Karen Lunel, and it was a rage in India in the 1970s. Its most famous model was Preity Zinta. Which soap is this?

7 On which specific occasion in 2013 did Unilever run an iconic campaign where a message to wash hands afterwards was stamped in the rotis produced by hundreds of hotels and dhabas?

8 Which international star caused a major stir after he appeared in Pan Bahar ads with the tag line “Pehchan Kamyabi Ki”?

9 In 2017, Pepsi got flak for a campaign featuring Kendal Jenner joining a protest march. Which musical superstar then tweeted that it was ironic, given that her Pepsi ad in 1989 was actually withdrawn after one of her music videos had shown her locking lips with a black priest?

10 After featuring Vinod Khanna in its 1985 campaign, which soap brand used a future head of State in its 1987 campaign?

Answers

1 Benetton, the Italian fashion brand

2 Brooke Shields, Calvin Klein

3Abbey Road by the Beatles. They were attempting to encourage pedestrians to use zebra crossings

4 Maneka Anand, soon to be Maneka Gandhi. The directive came from Sanjay Gandhi

5 Absolut Vodka

6 Liril. Both ads featured the models bathing in a waterfall

7 Kumbh Mela, the largest congregation of people on the planet

8 Pierce Brosnan, the actor who portrayed James Bond in four films between 1995 and 2002.

9 Madonna; Pepsi had pulled out her ad after the protests to the video of her song ‘Like A Prayer’.

10 Cinthol; the model was Imran Khan

BLINKJOY
 

Joy Bhattacharjya is a quizmaster;

Twitter: @joybhattacharj

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