The ad for horse racing bookmaker PMU, by the Publicis Conseil, France agency, begins with the motorcade of that fateful day in Dallas. One police officer bets another that he can twirl his gun three times like a cowboy. The gun discharges, and the bullet ricochets into the iconic tragedy.
"You like to bet?" the tagline asks before the ad segues to the logo for PMU.
Perhaps not surprisingly, critics felt the spot missed the mark. "The joke is forced, not that funny, and doesn’t tie back to product well at all," Copyranter wrote.
"While we're all for humor and making light of serious topics, there are some things that are sacred," Adrants commented.
Many YouTube commenters said the ad was in poor taste, while one viewer snidely remarked (in more colorful language) that the French didn't need to be as sensitive to our domestic catastrophes.
What do you think? Tell us in the comments below.
John F. Kennedy
President John F. Kennedy speaks at a press conference on August 1, 1963. (Photo by National Archive/Newsmakers)
Husband And Wife
A photo dated in the 1950s shows John F. Kennedy with his wife Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy. (AFP/AFP/Getty Images)
Youth Movement
John Fitzgerald Kennedy is pictured here in this 1960s White House photo. He was the first Catholic, and the youngest person, to be elected as president of the United States (AFP/Getty Images).
Happy Family
U.S. Senator John Fitzgerald Kennedy (JFK) and his wife Jacqueline pose with their son John Jr. on December 10, 1960. (AFP/Getty Images)
Oath Of Office
John F. Kennedy takes the Oath of Office for President of the United States in January 1961. (Photo by National Archive/Newsmakers)
Presidential Ticket
An unlocated photo shows U.S. President John F. Kennedy (R) chatting with Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson in the early 1960s. (AFP/AFP/Getty Images)
Presidential Get-Together
U.S. President John Fitzgerald Kennedy (L) meets in January 1961 at the White House, with former U.S. President Harry S. Truman (1884-1972). (AFP/AFP/Getty Images)
At The Podium
John Fitzgerald Kennedy delivers a speech at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York city, 29 April 1961.
By His Side
President John F. Kennedy speaks during a press conference as First Lady Jackie Kennedy looks on April 9, 1963 at the White House.
Facing The Press
President John F. Kennedy arrives for a press conference on August 30, 1961 in Washington.
Making Choices
U.S. President John Fitzgerald Kennedy signs the order of naval blockade of Cuba, on October 24, 1962 in the White House, during the Cuban Missile Crisis. (AFP/Getty Images)
Family Fun
John Kennedy Jr. plays in the Oval Office at the White House, Washington, DC, on October 15, 1963.
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