The ads spread virally after being posted on an advertising blog, Ads of the World, sparking outrage among bloggers. One fake ad depicts the smouldering ruins of the World Trade Center in New York with the Lego logo and slogan 'Rebuild it' attached.
A statement issued by two of the creatives credited for the work, art director Darren Cheung and copywriter Black Wu, said: "It was our personal trial to challenge creativity. We got so carried away that we came out with the stupidest idea that upset a broad audience."
A collage of three of the fake ads posted on YouTube also credited Saatchi & Saatchi's Guangzhou creative director Polly Chu, though Chu told Media she knew nothing of the campaign before it was posted online and was shocked by it.
The agency is taking legal advice over what to do next, Chu added.
