Premium ice cream brand in trouble over ‘soft porn vibes’ after comparing desserts to ballet shoes

The premium ice cream brand Magnum has taken down its Chinese advertisements that visually link its product to women’s feet wearing ballet pumps after they triggered an online backlash. The brand from the Netherlands posted a controversial advertisement for its new pistachio ice cream in January 2026. The advert suggests the ice cream looks like a woman’s feet wearing a pair of half chocolate, half light green-coloured ballet pumps. The slogan that goes with the visual says that the product ...

By Fran Lu