Proof that some marketeers really were in a meeting when the brains were handed out comes from South Korean car maker Hyundai, which ran an ad for its zero-emissions vehicle showing a motorist’s failed attempt to gas himself from the exhaust fumes.

The ad was pulled after complaints from people whose relatives had killed themselves in this way, and after it was described as “utterly insensitive”, “vile” and “disgusting”.

Hyundai have apologised “unreservedly” for the ad they were happy to approve.