How Irn Bru adverts have tested the limits of taste

By WILL COOPER
Published on 21/06/2012 09:50

Glasgow soft drinks giant Irn Bru has earned a reputation for pushing the boundaries in the world of advertising through its work with The Leith Agency.

Now they’ve done it again with another controversial advert that will either have you rolling in laughter or reaching for the your remote control.

The new advert, ‘Baby’, made the top spot on the YouTube Trends dashboard, meaning it was the most shared video in the UK within a week of its release.

Its TV appearance at half-time during the Engalnd vs France Euro 2021 match on ITV in England attracted some complaints from viewers though. They obviously didn’t appreciate the Scottish habit of using seemingly offensive words as terms of endearment, as in “ho, here fannybawz, geez a chip!”

The Advertising Standards Agency must feel the ad just barely stays on the right side of the offensive line.

From the Collins dictionary: “Fanny: slang. taboo. British - the female genitals.”

Tea time viewing? Well, the best part is they got away with it ... 1-0 Scotland.

After causing controversy south of the border, we take a look at some of the other equally provocative Irn Bru ads.

‘Steamy windows’

A lad returns home to find his mum and Mr McTaggart involved in some sort of ménage a trois in the living room. A few sips of Irn Bru makes it all okay.

‘Blind date’

A potentially disastrous blind date with Senga and her four wee yins - who are causing trouble in the crèche - is saved by Irn Bru.

‘Pink bomb’

A young man returns home to find his flat redecorated in pink, and his TV about to be replaced by a gaudy portrait of him and his overly “bubbly” other half. The highlight of the ad is the appearance of the girlfriend’s mother from the shower saying “I just had a wee shot of your razor there...”