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BACK to Main [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BlackComedy [[BlackComedy Page]]
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* [[https://youtu.be/D-ie_aFsfb8 This Asics ad]] has two men encounter a lion in Africa. One man puts on his Asics running shoes, the other asks him if he thinks he's faster than a lion. The response? "[[StockJokes No. But I'm faster than you.]]" Then the camera focuses on the second man's [[OhCrap horrified face]], before cutting to a wide shot of the two men running with the lion catching up to the second man.
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* Many current Sprint Mobile commercials endulge in this trope to do [[TakeThat Take Thats]] against their competitors. One ad has a man faking his own death by pushing his car off the cliff (in front of his kids) to get out of his Verizon contract.

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* Many current Sprint Mobile commercials endulge in this trope to do [[TakeThat Take Thats]] against their competitors. One ad has a man faking his own death by pushing his car off the cliff (in front of his kids) to get out of his Verizon contract.contract.
* Hyundai's 2012 [[SuperBowlSpecial Super Bowl ad]] had their new Veloster Turbo race a [[PantheraAwesome cheetah]]. When the car outruns the cheetah [[ArtisticLicenseBiology immediately]], the cheetah turns on its trainer and chases him instead. It's even shown catching up with and pouncing on him (though that's partly [[SceneryCensor hidden by some tall grass]]). Watch [[https://youtu.be/PzCQdcilMuM here]].

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* The notorious [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pm_oLF-LgNk "Life is Short"]] commercial for X-Box, which was banned for being a little ''too'' black. (Of course, given how long the original X-Box lasted, many fans today find the analogy [[HilariousInHindsight kind of funny]].)

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* The notorious [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pm_oLF-LgNk [[https://youtu.be/Hu_0GdXW904 "Life is Short"]] commercial for X-Box, which was banned for being a little ''too'' black. (Of course, given how long the original X-Box lasted, many fans today find the analogy [[HilariousInHindsight kind of funny]].)



* Many current Sprint Mobile commercials endulge in this trope to do [[TakeThat Take Thats]] against their competitors. One ad has a man faking his own death by pushing his car off the cliff (in front of his kids) to get out of his Verizon contract.
* [[Creator/DiscoveryChannel Discovery Channel's]] Shark Week in 2013 had [[https://youtu.be/3_i3PPe3i9Y this]] commercial that, [[BlackComedy though very entertaining]], is the embodiment of this trope. Between the [[GoryDiscretionShot offscreen messy death of a seal]] ([[CrossesTheLineTwice in front of children]]) and the news anchorman's CurseCutShort, one can only wonder how it got aired.

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* Many current Sprint Mobile commercials endulge in this trope to do [[TakeThat Take Thats]] against their competitors. One ad has a man faking his own death by pushing his car off the cliff (in front of his kids) to get out of his Verizon contract.
* [[Creator/DiscoveryChannel Discovery Channel's]] Shark Week in 2013 had [[https://youtu.be/3_i3PPe3i9Y this]] commercial that, [[BlackComedy though very entertaining]], is the embodiment of this trope. Between the [[GoryDiscretionShot offscreen messy death of a seal]] ([[CrossesTheLineTwice in front of children]]) and the news anchorman's CurseCutShort, one can only wonder how it got aired.
contract.
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* The whole point of ''WebAnimation/DumbWaysToDie'' is to get the audience to laugh at, but be aware of, all the stupid ways you can die around trains.

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* The whole point of ''WebAnimation/DumbWaysToDie'' ''Advertising/DumbWaysToDie'' is to get the audience to laugh at, but be aware of, all the stupid ways you can die around trains.
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Correcting wick, as per this thread.


* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjVW6roRs-w "No Pressure"]] featured, among other things, kids being [[DisproportionateRetribution blown up]] for not signing on to 10:10's [[ClimateChange carbon emissions reduction program]] as a CrossesTheLineTwice joke. If you don't feel like watching, it's not some kind of cute, funny explosion effect; it's [[{{Gorn}} very bloody]] and identifiable bits of human tissue can be seen coating the bystanders in this ad. The reaction to this ad was negative and it was pulled very quickly when it became apparent that people were turning against the 10:10 campaign as a result of it.

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* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjVW6roRs-w "No Pressure"]] featured, among other things, kids being [[DisproportionateRetribution blown up]] for not signing on to 10:10's [[ClimateChange [[GlobalWarming carbon emissions reduction program]] as a CrossesTheLineTwice joke. If you don't feel like watching, it's not some kind of cute, funny explosion effect; it's [[{{Gorn}} very bloody]] and identifiable bits of human tissue can be seen coating the bystanders in this ad. The reaction to this ad was negative and it was pulled very quickly when it became apparent that people were turning against the 10:10 campaign as a result of it.
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Transferring over from Getting Crap Past The Radar


* Many current Sprint Mobile commercials endulge in this trope to do [[TakeThat Take Thats]] against their competitors. One ad has a man faking his own death by pushing his car off the cliff (in front of his kids) to get out of his Verizon contract.

to:

* Many current Sprint Mobile commercials endulge in this trope to do [[TakeThat Take Thats]] against their competitors. One ad has a man faking his own death by pushing his car off the cliff (in front of his kids) to get out of his Verizon contract.contract.
* [[Creator/DiscoveryChannel Discovery Channel's]] Shark Week in 2013 had [[https://youtu.be/3_i3PPe3i9Y this]] commercial that, [[BlackComedy though very entertaining]], is the embodiment of this trope. Between the [[GoryDiscretionShot offscreen messy death of a seal]] ([[CrossesTheLineTwice in front of children]]) and the news anchorman's CurseCutShort, one can only wonder how it got aired.
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Renamed per TRS


* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjVW6roRs-w "No Pressure"]] featured, among other things, kids being [[DisproportionateRetribution blown up]] for not signing on to 10:10's [[GlobalWarming carbon emissions reduction program]] as a CrossesTheLineTwice joke. If you don't feel like watching, it's not some kind of cute, funny explosion effect; it's [[{{Gorn}} very bloody]] and identifiable bits of human tissue can be seen coating the bystanders in this ad. The reaction to this ad was negative and it was pulled very quickly when it became apparent that people were turning against the 10:10 campaign as a result of it.

to:

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjVW6roRs-w "No Pressure"]] featured, among other things, kids being [[DisproportionateRetribution blown up]] for not signing on to 10:10's [[GlobalWarming [[ClimateChange carbon emissions reduction program]] as a CrossesTheLineTwice joke. If you don't feel like watching, it's not some kind of cute, funny explosion effect; it's [[{{Gorn}} very bloody]] and identifiable bits of human tissue can be seen coating the bystanders in this ad. The reaction to this ad was negative and it was pulled very quickly when it became apparent that people were turning against the 10:10 campaign as a result of it.
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Yellow:''' [[ComicallyMissingThePoint Not all of him]].

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Yellow:''' [[ComicallyMissingThePoint Not all Not]] ''[[ComicallyMissingThePoint all]]'' [[ComicallyMissingThePoint of him]].

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* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbheC3kRDiA This]] commercial starts off innocent with cutesy art and a cutesy theme song, very much a homage to [[WesternAnimation/DragonTales another kids cartoon about dragons]]. Then CG dragons come in and burn EVERYTHING as the cartoon dragons and kids scream and flee in terror. For bonus points, [[SoundtrackDissonance the cutesy theme song keeps playing in the background.]] Ladies and Gentlemen, ''VideoGame/WarDragons''.

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* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbheC3kRDiA This]] commercial starts off innocent with cutesy art and a cutesy theme song, very much a homage to [[WesternAnimation/DragonTales another kids cartoon about dragons]]. Then CG dragons come in and burn EVERYTHING as the cartoon dragons and kids scream and flee in terror. For bonus points, [[SoundtrackDissonance the cutesy theme song keeps playing in the background.]] Ladies and Gentlemen, ''VideoGame/WarDragons''. Surprisingly, there's no reports that Sesame Workshop and/or Sony threatened legal action against Pocket Gems for this ad.



* Jim Henson's famous ads for Advertising/WilkinsCoffee feature the frog-like Wilkins [[AmusingInjuries injuring or outright murdering]] another puppet named Wontkins in some over-the-top fashion [[DisproportionateRetribution just because the latter didn't like Wilkins Coffee]].

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* Jim Henson's famous ads for Advertising/WilkinsCoffee feature the frog-like Wilkins [[AmusingInjuries injuring or outright murdering]] another puppet named Wontkins in some over-the-top fashion [[DisproportionateRetribution just because the latter didn't like Wilkins Coffee]].Coffee]].
* Many current Sprint Mobile commercials endulge in this trope to do [[TakeThat Take Thats]] against their competitors. One ad has a man faking his own death by pushing his car off the cliff (in front of his kids) to get out of his Verizon contract.
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** 2019, however, took things to the next level, when they actually did go as far as to ''[[https://youtu.be/3mxOj5GKyZg eat a sentient M&M’s spokescandy]]'', leaving only its arms and legs. What cements it, however, is what immediately follows the shocking revelation:
-->'''Hostess:''' You ''ate'' the new spokescandy?!\\
'''({{Beat}})\\
Yellow:''' [[ComicallyMissingThePoint Not all of him]].
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* Jim Henson got his start doing ads for Advertising/WilkinsCoffee, where the frog-like Wilkins would injure or murder another puppet named Wontkins in some over-the-top fashion [[DisproportionateRetribution just because he didn't like Wilkins Coffee]].

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* Jim Henson got his start doing Henson's famous ads for Advertising/WilkinsCoffee, where Advertising/WilkinsCoffee feature the frog-like Wilkins would injure [[AmusingInjuries injuring or murder outright murdering]] another puppet named Wontkins in some over-the-top fashion [[DisproportionateRetribution just because he the latter didn't like Wilkins Coffee]].
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* The notorious [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pm_oLF-LgNk "Life is Short"]] commercial for X-Box, which was banned for being a little ''too'' black. (Of course, given how long the original X-Box lasted, many fans today find the analogy [[HilariousInHindsight kind of funny]].)

to:

* The notorious [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pm_oLF-LgNk "Life is Short"]] commercial for X-Box, which was banned for being a little ''too'' black. (Of course, given how long the original X-Box lasted, many fans today find the analogy [[HilariousInHindsight kind of funny]].))
* Jim Henson got his start doing ads for Advertising/WilkinsCoffee, where the frog-like Wilkins would injure or murder another puppet named Wontkins in some over-the-top fashion [[DisproportionateRetribution just because he didn't like Wilkins Coffee]].
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Wrong media wick.


* Around 1990 Advertising/MAndM commercials started to take this turn; the first was probably the one where Red and Yellow falsely accused B. B. King of eating the two blue ones, but it got worse. Several actual humans ''did'' want to eat them, and many [[HumansAreBastards play with them a little before doing so]]. Not that they're any better, as some commercials have them kidnapping humans and each other, and in one case, laughing at candy bar who melts in the sun. They're also not averse to eating non-sentient M&Ms themselves, [[CarnivoreConfusion which at least one guy in one commercial]] called them out on.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbheC3kRDiA This]] commercial starts off innocent with cutesy art and a cutesy theme song, very much a homage to [[WesternAnimation/DragonTales another kids cartoon about dragons]]. Then CG dragons come in and burn EVERYTHING as the cartoon dragons and kids scream and flee in terror. For bonus points, [[SoundtrackDissonance the cutesy theme song keeps playing in the background.]] Ladies and Gentlemen, ''WesternAnimation/WarDragons''.

to:

* Around 1990 Advertising/MAndM Advertising/MAndMs commercials started to take this turn; the first was probably the one where Red and Yellow falsely accused B. B. King of eating the two blue ones, but it got worse. Several actual humans ''did'' want to eat them, and many [[HumansAreBastards play with them a little before doing so]]. Not that they're any better, as some commercials have them kidnapping humans and each other, and in one case, laughing at candy bar who melts in the sun. They're also not averse to eating non-sentient M&Ms themselves, [[CarnivoreConfusion which at least one guy in one commercial]] called them out on.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbheC3kRDiA This]] commercial starts off innocent with cutesy art and a cutesy theme song, very much a homage to [[WesternAnimation/DragonTales another kids cartoon about dragons]]. Then CG dragons come in and burn EVERYTHING as the cartoon dragons and kids scream and flee in terror. For bonus points, [[SoundtrackDissonance the cutesy theme song keeps playing in the background.]] Ladies and Gentlemen, ''WesternAnimation/WarDragons''.''VideoGame/WarDragons''.
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BACK to Main [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BlackComedy Page]]
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* The (thankfully never used) slogan for Panasonic: "From the wonderful folks who brought you Pearl Harbor." It was later re-purposed as advertiser Creator/JerryDellaFamina's book title. [[note]]Although, with Nakajima not a name in the US market, the phrase would be more appropriately applied to Mitsubishi.[[/note]]
* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUnu8mm551I This]] [[CandidCameraPrank hidden camera mailbox prank]] seems like an innocent enough prank, (until the guns get pulled out.)
* [[http://www.adrants.com/images/la_senorita_mexican_restaurant_billboard.jpg This billboard,]] [[DrinkingTheKoolAid which is a reference to]] [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonestown the Jonestown Massacre.]]
* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjVW6roRs-w "No Pressure"]] featured, among other things, kids being [[DisproportionateRetribution blown up]] for not signing on to 10:10's [[GlobalWarming carbon emissions reduction program]] as a CrossesTheLineTwice joke. If you don't feel like watching, it's not some kind of cute, funny explosion effect; it's [[{{Gorn}} very bloody]] and identifiable bits of human tissue can be seen coating the bystanders in this ad. The reaction to this ad was negative and it was pulled very quickly when it became apparent that people were turning against the 10:10 campaign as a result of it.
* The Creator/DiscoveryChannel 2013 Shark Week promo is a staged live newscast of [[MeaningfulName "Snuffy the Seal"]] [[YetAnotherBabyPanda being returned to the ocean]], which [[MoodWhiplash suddenly turns tragic]] when [[ThreateningShark a great white shark leaps out of the water]] and [[{{Pun}} snuffs out Snuffy]]. (A SceneryCensor is used to avoid {{gorn}}.) Watch [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMnMgX7GiOA here.]] Their 2014 Shark Week Promo [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4s7g1sBUwo shows that Snuffy is safe.]]
* In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, a charity PSA ran on television featuring a George W. Bush impersonator addressing the nation from the Oval Office... while disguised as a dolphin.
* The whole point of ''WebAnimation/DumbWaysToDie'' is to get the audience to laugh at, but be aware of, all the stupid ways you can die around trains.
* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfHHywSumfc This]] banned Home Away ad that featured a "test baby" going splat against a window. Dead Baby Comedy indeed.
* Around 1990 Advertising/MAndM commercials started to take this turn; the first was probably the one where Red and Yellow falsely accused B. B. King of eating the two blue ones, but it got worse. Several actual humans ''did'' want to eat them, and many [[HumansAreBastards play with them a little before doing so]]. Not that they're any better, as some commercials have them kidnapping humans and each other, and in one case, laughing at candy bar who melts in the sun. They're also not averse to eating non-sentient M&Ms themselves, [[CarnivoreConfusion which at least one guy in one commercial]] called them out on.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbheC3kRDiA This]] commercial starts off innocent with cutesy art and a cutesy theme song, very much a homage to [[WesternAnimation/DragonTales another kids cartoon about dragons]]. Then CG dragons come in and burn EVERYTHING as the cartoon dragons and kids scream and flee in terror. For bonus points, [[SoundtrackDissonance the cutesy theme song keeps playing in the background.]] Ladies and Gentlemen, ''WesternAnimation/WarDragons''.
* The notorious [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pm_oLF-LgNk "Life is Short"]] commercial for X-Box, which was banned for being a little ''too'' black. (Of course, given how long the original X-Box lasted, many fans today find the analogy [[HilariousInHindsight kind of funny]].)

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