When brands chase a promising celeb to boost sales, they sometimes end up with a spectacular flop. Below we count down ten high‑profile partnerships that went spectacularly wrong, mixing star power with marketing missteps.

Why Promising Celeb Endorsements Fail

Even the biggest names can’t guarantee success when a campaign’s execution, timing, or cultural sensitivity goes off the rails. The stories below show how a single misstep can turn a lucrative partnership into a PR nightmare.

10 Gary Lineker Likes Serial Killer Selfies

In 2017, British snack maker Walkers roped retired football legend Gary Lineker into a selfie‑driven promotion for its new crisp range. Fans were asked to snap a picture, tweet it with #WalkersWave, and stand a chance to win tickets to the UEFA Champions League final in Cardiff. The plan even promised a personalized video where Lineker thanked participants and praised their selfies.

Unfortunately, the system was fully automated and lacked any moderation. Within hours, the #WalkersWave stream was hijacked by users who fed the platform pictures of notorious serial killers—Harold Shipman, Fred West, and Jimmy Savile—prompting Lineker’s digital avatar to cheer, “Nice selfie!” The fallout was swift: Walkers had set up giant screens in Cardiff to broadcast the tweets live, and the internet was suddenly awash with macabre images.

Walkers managed to pull the plug a few hours later, but as anyone who’s ever posted online knows, once something is on the web, it lives forever.

9 Sex Crimes Sell Hatchbacks

Late 2012 found India still reeling from a horrific gang‑rape case that sparked nationwide outrage and new, stricter laws against sex crimes. In a bewildering move, JWT India decided to push Ford’s Figo hatchback by linking it to the very topic that was dominating headlines.

The agency’s cartoon featured former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi behind the wheel, flashing a victory sign while three scantily clad women were shown bound and gagged in the trunk. The tagline read, “Leave your worries behind with Figo’s extra‑large boot.” A parallel cartoon even depicted Paris Hilton lugging three Kardashians in the same manner.

Given Berlusconi’s own scandalous reputation—he was on trial for under‑age prostitution at the time—the campaign was a masterclass in tone‑deaf advertising.

8 Charles Barkley Calls New Endorsement A Scam

Back in December 2011, NBA great‑turned‑analyst Charles Barkley became the face of Weight Watchers’ “Lose Like a Man” campaign. A few weeks later, during a live broadcast of an Atlanta Hawks–Miami Heat game, Barkley unintentionally let slip that the deal was “the greatest scam going, even better than getting paid to watch sports.”

The comment happened because the broadcast’s audio feed remained active on the NBA’s “Eye on Basketball” stream after a commercial break. While his co‑hosts tried to steer the conversation back, Barkley’s off‑hand remark sparked a media frenzy, with outlets quoting him out of context and suggesting he’d denounced the program itself.Weight Watchers took the gaffe in stride, acknowledging the humor and emphasizing that the partnership was indeed a lucrative gig for the former NBA star.

7 Oprah Promotes Surface Using iPad

In 2012, Microsoft launched the Surface tablet as a direct challenger to Apple’s iPad, splashing cash on celebrity endorsements. Among the most prominent was Oprah Winfrey, whose “Favorite Things” list featured the Surface and claimed she’d bought a dozen for Christmas.

Fans were quick to spot a glaring inconsistency: Oprah’s tweet was sent from an iPad. Because Twitter automatically displays the device used to post a message, the endorsement unintentionally highlighted the very competitor Microsoft was trying to dethrone.

The blunder became a viral meme, but it also underscored a simple truth—celebs don’t always use the products they promote.

6 The Reverse Endorsement

When MTV’s “Jersey Shore” turned Michael Sorrentino, aka The Situation, into a cultural phenomenon, brands scrambled to ride his wave. Abercrombie & Fitch (A&F) even offered him $10,000 to stop wearing their clothes—a move meant to distance the brand from his obnoxious on‑screen persona.A&F’s counter‑strategy was the “Fitchuation” line, a parody collection that leaned into Sorrentino’s GTL (gym, tan, laundry) lifestyle. Sorrentino sued, alleging false advertising and claiming the $10,000 offer was a publicity stunt that implied sponsorship.

The court ruled in A&F’s favor on all counts, deeming the offer “undisputedly true” and allowing the brand to keep its tongue‑in‑cheek campaign.

5 Iggy Pop Can’t Get Swiftcovered

In 2009, the punk legend Iggy Pop fronted a TV spot for British car insurer Swiftcover, proclaiming, “I got it swiftcovered. I got insurance on my insurance!” The line implied that Swiftcover actually covered musicians—a claim that quickly unraveled.

Swiftcover’s spokesperson clarified that the brand chose Iggy because he “lives life to the fullest,” not because he needed auto insurance. Nonetheless, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) investigated the ad, deeming it misleading since the insurer does not provide coverage for entertainers.

Swiftcover was forced to pull the commercial, though it continued to feature Iggy in other spots despite his ineligibility for their services.

4 Conference Bayhem

The 2014 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) was supposed to be Samsung’s moment to showcase its ultra‑HD curved TVs. To add Hollywood flair, director Michael Bay was invited onto the stage alongside Samsung exec Joe Stinziano.

Bay’s presentation quickly derailed: he missed a line, fumbled the teleprompter, and ultimately walked offstage in frustration. The mishap became the headline of an otherwise lukewarm product reveal.

Two years later, Bay was slated to endorse LeEco’s self‑driving concept car, the LeSEE. The car was shipped to London for filming, but an accident damaged it beyond repair before the San Francisco unveiling. Attendees were left with only pictures and a pre‑recorded video of Bay’s endorsement.

3 Lance Armstrong’s Secret Weapon

Energy‑drink maker FRS built its brand around the tagline “Lance Armstrong’s secret weapon.” Armstrong not only invested in the company but also joined its board, lending credibility that helped FRS grow five‑fold.

When doping allegations resurfaced, FRS promptly cut ties, and Armstrong left the board. The brand then faced a consumer lawsuit accusing it of false advertising—claiming the drink’s performance boost came from Armstrong’s alleged “secret weapon” rather than the product itself.

A federal judge dismissed the claim as “puffery,” a common, non‑actionable form of advertising exaggeration.

2 Who Was Better: Dan Or Dave?

In the lead‑up to the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, Reebok launched a $30 million campaign pitting two relatively unknown decathletes—Dan O’Brien and Dave Johnson—against each other. The “Dan & Dave” ads, which debuted during the Super Bowl, featured the athletes training, growing up, and even as babies, turning a niche sport into a pop‑culture rivalry.

Everything seemed set for a showdown, until O’Brien bombed the pole‑vault at the U.S. trials, and Reebok’s investment went up in smoke weeks before the Games. Johnson, the remaining contender, suffered a stress fracture and settled for bronze. O’Brien eventually won gold in 1996, but by then he’d switched allegiance to Nike.

1 Oscar Pistorius Was Nike’s Bullet In The Chamber

South African sprinter Oscar Pistorius, a three‑time Paralympic champion, made history by competing in the 2012 London Olympics. The following year, his personal tragedy—being charged with the murder of his girlfriend—sent shockwaves through the sports world.Nike had previously featured Pistorius in two gun‑themed ads. One montage likened elite athletes to weapons, showing Pistorius running as a bullet in motion. A 2011 spot went further, branding him “the bullet in the chamber” alongside Nike’s iconic “Just Do It” slogan.

After the murder trial began, Nike faced a dilemma: keep a high‑profile athlete linked to a violent crime or distance itself to protect its brand image.