Controversial Belvedere Ad Implying Rape Gets Pulled

Last week, Belvedere Vodka posted a controversial new advert on Facebook that skirted the line between outrageous and offensive. Of course, it went viral.

In the ad, a smiling male partygoer is grabbing a surprised and clearly non-consensual woman from behind. The innuendo-rampant copy reads: “Unlike some people, Belvedere always goes down smoothly.” Yikes, Belvedere. Way to alienate 1) your entire female consumer base, and 2) everyone else with human decency.

After an influx of public outrage, the ad was pulled within an hour from all of Belvedere’s social media channels. An apology soon followed suit. “We apologize to any of our fans who were offended by our recent tweet,” writes Belvedere reps, assuming damage control mode. “We continue to be an advocate of safe and responsible drinking.” Let’s see if the vodka brand escapes unscathed from the backlash fueled by this egregious blunder.