Absolut bad idea.

Absolut Herbertstraße at UPI.com A recent Absolut ad in Germany showed lipstick traces against a white background, and the line, "Absolut Herbertstraße" - clearly playing with Herbetstrasse's fame for prostitution.

"Herbertstrasse is a famous street that is represented in city guides. It is well known to Germans, not only for prostitution," she told Sweden's Local newspaper. "Our purpose is to point out specifics in cities like Berlin and Hamburg that are well known to Germans. We are giving a little wink about the city in an Absolut way."

Now, after getting whipped in Swedish media for said advert, Vin&Sprit owners of the Absolut brand have decided to pull said ad, but also said they "had not known Herbertstrasse was so singularly associated with prostitution." Then what's the point of the ad, fools? The pressrelease on Vin&Sprit's website is in Swedish only, and the bad press Absolut caught for the ad seemed to only exist in Swedish press as well. Did the Germans even care? The countries views on prostitution is rather different, in Germany it's legal to be a prostitute, in Sweden it is not legal to buy the services of a prostitute thus criminalising the johns.