Microsoft has yanked a controversial ad for its Internet Explorer 8 browser - which features a woman vomiting several times - after an outcry among users.
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The ad, starring former Superman actor Dean Cain, depicts a woman spewing uncontrollably after apparently finding hardcore pornography on her husband's computer. The man then slips over on the mess before his wife continues to vomit on top of him.
Cain then steps into the foreground telling viewers that none of this would have happened if the man had used Internet Explorer 8, which includes a feature called "InPrivate Browsing" that lets users browse without leaving a trace.
Cain diagnoses the woman's problem as "Oh My God, I'm Gonna Puke" (O.M.G.I.G.P) syndrome.
The type of content on the computer is not detailed but, due to the nature of the woman's reaction, some have interpreted the ad as alluding to child pornography. Taken to the extreme, the ad could be seen by some as Microsoft offering tips on how to browse such material without getting caught by a spouse.
The ad, which only ran online and was described by one veteran technology commentator as the "worst tech commercial ever", was directed by comedian Bob Goldthwait, who starred in the Police Academy series of films.
Goldthwait made three other IE8 commercials for Microsoft, all featuring Cain as public service announcer, including "S.H.Y.N.E.S.S." (Sharing Heavily Yet Not Enough Sharing Still), "F.O.M.S" (Fear Of Missing Something) and "G.R.I.P.E.S" (Gripping Rage Internet Pathetically Extra Slow').
In an interview with the TechFlash website, Goldthwait said the series of ads were the first commercials he had ever directed.
"I think they were trying to do something that was a little less mainstream, and I think that's (what led to) my involvement," Goldthwait said.
In a statement, Microsoft said the OMGIGP ad was intended to be a "tongue-in-cheek" look at IE8's InPrivate Browsing feature using "irreverent humour".
"While much of the feedback to this particular piece of creative was positive, some of our customers found it offensive, so we have removed it," the company said.
Microsoft has removed the ad from its official YouTube channel, its own website and its ad agency's website, but it has already been re-published by other YouTube users.
Microsoft, after incurring significant damage to its brand from Apple's "I'm a Mac, I'm a PC" ad campaign, has attempted to retaliate in recent months with edgy but bizarre commercials.
Last last year it launched a US$300 million ad campaign to spruce up Windows Vista's image, which featured comedian Jerry Seinfeld, actress Eva Longoria, singer Pharrell Williams and even the author Deepak Chopra.
Those ads received significant media coverage but they were heavily criticised for being too abstract and not funny enough.
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