If there really is no such thing as bad publicity, then Kmart has certainly scored a win with its latest ad.
The commercial, promoting Joe Boxer underwear, begins with six tuxedo-clad men playing bells while standing behind a draped table. The table is then removed to reveal all of the men are wearing only boxers and no pants -- and then it gets interesting.
The six half-dressed men begin to shake and thrust their hips to the tune of "Jingle Bells," the implication being their "bells" are making the music.
The musical dance has some calling the ad risque and tasteless, others find it humorous and clever.
On the company's Facebook page, one commenter wrote: "I'm totally disgusted with the holiday Joe Boxer ad. I can't believe that Kmart would lower itself to such tasteless advertising!!"
Another had a more favorable view: "Love the commercial, it made me laugh. Victoria Secret [sic] can parade women around in bra and panties with things 'Jingling' everywhere, but men are inappropriate shaking their butt. Really people."
Kmart, according to the Huffington Post, has no plans to remove the ad.
"The Kmart 'Show Your Joe' commercial playfully showcases Joe Boxer's men's clothing available at Kmart. We regret if some people found the commercial offensive, as that was not our intent," a Kmart spokesperson said.
Kmart has released other attention-grabbing ads including the "I just shipped my pants" commercial, which has been viewed nearly 20 million times on YouTube. The Joe Boxer ad, which was uploaded to Kmart's YouTube channel on Nov. 15, has already been viewed more than 4.9 million times.
Is the ad tasteless and offensive or hilariously clever advertising? Let us know in the comments or vote in our poll. Note: This is not a scientific poll. It is for entertainment purposes only.
