What are the positive aspects of controversial advertising?

Sometimes the shock value of an ad can help to keep the name of your product active in people's memories. Unfortunately, it can keep it alive in peoples memories to the point where they will go out of their way not to purchase the product.

For example, take Digger the Dermatophyte. He is an animated personification of a fungus infection, who lifts up a toenail and jumps in. They always seem to show this ad at dinner time. I have since heard people say that because of this ad, they will never EVER take Lamisil. But see? I remembered Lamisil, the product they were advertising.

-People like to see that the company is willing to take a risk by putting out a controversial commercial!

-If the commercial is more controversial people are going to talk about, which makes them remember they company!

There is a motto, "speak bad things, but, please, speak about me".

In general, commercial products want to attract attention, and it doesn't matter if it is in a good or in a bad way: we know that people change their minds with time, so maybe in the future that "bad impression" may be left out, but the memory about that product will remain.

well you would remember the product as 'familiar' for years to come even if you dont exactly remember the details in the commercial.

extra publicity because everyone will be talking about it, the more controversial it is