With the return of Tui’s controversial campaign after a decade of dormancy, the Herald’s Lana Andelane looks back at other contentious billboards from yesteryear.

Tui is bringing its “Yeah, right” billboards out of retirement, begging the question: how will this controversial, oftentimes provocative campaign fare in 2024?

Revamping the campaign could be “risky” but “potentially rewarding - if they can navigate the landscape correctly”, AUT communication studies lecturer Daniel Fastnedge told the Herald.

But edginess hasn’t always played out in advertisers’ favour. Many of New Zealand’s most contentious advertisements (from Hell Pizza’s condom mailer to their Hitler billboard) have gone down in history - often for the wrong reasons.

For one, advertising is tightly regulated in New Zealand. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has strict standards for responsible advertising, with codes covering “truthful presentation”, “matters of social responsibility” and “decent, honest ... advertising communications”. The authority, which has served as advertising watchdog since 1973, now processes more than 1000 complaints each year. Anyone can complain about an advertisement targeting New Zealanders, including other advertisers.

For the following examples, however, either the ASA or the public felt they missed the mark. Here’s a recap of some of the more controversial billboards in Aotearoa’s history.

Hitler saluting with pizza - Hell Pizza, 2009

In 2009, pizza chain Hell came under fire from the Jewish community after it commissioned a billboard featuring Adolf Hitler saluting with a slice in hand.

Hitler — who was dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945 — was central to the perpetration of the Holocaust, a genocide of about 6 million Jews and millions of others.

The image of the Nazi Party leader performing a ‘Heil Hitler’ salute with the slice of pizza was accompanied by the quote, “It is possible to make people believe that heaven is hell.”

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The offending Hitler billboard. Photo / Supplied

At least one billboard was removed after Hell Pizza received complaints from the Jewish community, while some were replaced with the chain’s famous campaign of Pope Benedict saying, “Hell is real and eternal.”

“We hoped we could get away with people seeing Hitler with a piece of pizza [and thinking it] would be funny,” a Hell Pizza spokesperson said at the time.

“We do recognise there were some horrendous things done and if people are not seeing it as lampooning, we are dealing with a slightly different animal and we will back down.”

Pre-pandemic anti-vaccination sentiment - Waves, 2018

In 2018, the anti-vaccination lobby group Warnings About Vaccination Expectations (Waves NZ) sparked widespread controversy with a billboard that depicted a man holding a baby alongside the statement, “If you knew the ingredients in a vaccine, would you RISK it?”

The billboard was erected by Auckland’s Southern Motorway, near the Princes St off-ramp and Middlemore Hospital.

The advertisement was up for about a day before Ad-Vantage Media, an independent billboard company, told the Herald it was being removed.

“The location, being near the hospital, wasn’t right for the billboard, so we made the call to remove it,” a spokesperson said at the time.

The ASA received 146 complaints, many of which cited a lack of social responsibility, the implication that vaccines are unsafe, and exploitation of vulnerable audiences.

The complaints were upheld, with the ASA noting “a lack of advertiser identification, and insufficient substantiation of the likely consumer takeout”.

The billboard, which sported an anti-vaccination message, was located by Auckland's Southern Motorway near Middlemore Hospital. Photo / Brett Phibbs

At the time, Waves spokesperson Erin Hudson told the Herald the group was surprised at “how vicious” the response had been.

The following year, Hudson and the anti-vaccination group Authentic Resistance were involved in an “informed consent and natural immunity” event held at an Auckland midwifery centre — despite a measles outbreak at the time.

“For a limited time. A bit like Jesus” - Hell Pizza, 2011

The third most complained about ad in New Zealand history, the Hell Pizza billboard was erected in Hamilton and promoted its limited-edition Hot Cross Buns alongside the text, “For a limited time. A bit like Jesus.”

The billboard also featured a bun decorated with an inverted pentacle symbol.

“Complainants were concerned the ad constituted spiritual abuse, was grossly offensive and made a mockery of the Christian faith,” the ASA said in its annual report.

Another complainant claimed the billboard “slandered and ridiculed” Christianity in a way that wouldn’t be tolerated if it were directed at other religions or minority groups.

Despite attracting 178 objections, the complaints were not upheld.

“In its decision, the complaints board said the ad, while provocative, was saved by the degree of black humour and in light of prevailing community standards was not likely to cause serious or widespread offence.”

Hell Pizza's hot cross buns' billboard sparked controversy in 2011. Photo / File

At the time, Hell Pizza issued a statement branding complainants “confused, unreasonable, and even outright irrational”.

“Hell believes that extremists of all religions and races are worthy of humour and satire.”

“Let’s take a moment this Christmas to think about Christ. Yeah right” — Tui, 2008

In 2008, Tui’s “Let’s take a moment this Christmas to think about Christ. Yeah right” billboard was the most complained about advertisement that year, according to an ASA report at the time.

The billboard amassed 86 complaints, many of which claimed the tagline was offensive to Christians, as was the link between alcohol and religion. The ad was withdrawn by DB Breweries following the backlash.

That year, Tui also brewed dissent with its “Sure, I’ve got 10 minutes to talk about Jehovah” incarnation, which was the ninth most-complained-about advertisement of 2008.

This billboard was 2008's most complained about ad of the year, according to the ASA. Photo / File

Lana Andelane is an Auckland-based entertainment and lifestyle journalist who joined the Herald in 2024. She was previously lifestyle editor at Newshub, where she began her career as a digital news reporter in 2019. She enjoys writing about music, pop culture, fashion and beauty.