Yorkshire Water apologised for the mistake, which saw unmarked envelopes of white crystals mailed out as part of a "Save a Flush" campaign, earning the company a place at number 32 on the list.
Other dumb moments include an ad showing a man suckling a wolf's teat and Ikea naming a children's bunk bed "Gutvik", which sounds like the phrase "good fuck" in German.
Failure to take cultural differences into account also saw General Motors make the list, after it called a new model Buick LaCrosse. The term "la crosse" is a slang word for masturbation in French-speaking Canada.
An advertisement for a US fast-food chain called Quiznos takes the prize for the dumbest moment in advertising. Promoting a new dish, the ad shows a customer attacking a steak with gusto. A fellow diner asks "Were you raised by wolves?" and he replies in the affirmative, at which stage the ad cuts to the man suckling a wolf's teat.
Also in the UK, a McDonald's publicity stunt inviting customers to check out their kitchens to reassure them of hygiene standards was named as the 13th dumbest moment. Back in the US, the restaurant's move to make Ronald McDonald chief happiness officer was number 24 in the list.
Other clangers include a New York ad agency using a picture of an Hawaiian beach to promote Bermuda and Birmingham radio station BRMB's dry ice stunt, which saw three competitors hospitalised.
Josh Quittner, editor of Business 2.0, said: "The seemingly endless supply of corporate goofs and business errors never ceases to amaze our editors and readers. This year was no exception."
The full list can be found here.
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