Abstract

This case discusses the controversial Kurl-on ad campaign created by Ogilvy & Mather India (O&M) featuring caricatures of Malala Yousafzai (Malala), a Pakistani student activist. The ad, one in a series of three print ads titled ‘Bounce Back’, featured a series of cartoon images of Malala being shot in the head, falling back covered in blood, being put on a drip, and then bouncing off a Kurl-on mattress and recovering to accept the Nobel Peace Prize. The ad drew flak from all quarters for being offensive and for using a horrific tragedy to sell a product. The case discusses the global outrage caused by the ad and how it affected the brand image of O&M. It highlights ethical issues in advertising and why a company has to take care while treading the fine line between creativity and ethical considerations in advertising a product.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• Understand the importance of ethics in advertising.
• Understand the implications of using content in ads that may be perceived as being offensive.
• Study the issues involved in the controversial Kurl-on mattress ad.
• Understand the need to balance creativity and ethics in advertising.

Keywords

Ethics in advertising, Marketing communication, Creativity, Ogilvy & Mather, Offensive ad, ‘Bounce Back’ ad campaign, Malala Yousafzai