A TV on Demand ad from film production and distribution company Universal Pictures was pinged for a violence breach by AdStandards.
The advertisement was promoting the company’s film 'Halloween Ends' and featured scenes from the movie, including:
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A person walking through a tunnel when a hand comes out of the wall and grabs him around the neck,
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A scared-looking woman holding a phone. Behind her a mirror slides back to reveal a man,
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A person pushes a man's head into a table
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A woman and a man in a fight, which ends with the woman kneeling over the man and holding a knife in her hands above her head, swinging it down towards him.
The complaints submitted to AdStandards included:
“My 9-11 year old children were extremely traumatised by seeing this graphics horror right before bedtime, shown during the grand final of the NRL football ads. The preview depicts strangulation, stabbing, head bashing, and more. This is highly inappropriate for this early in the evening.”
“We expect a reply confirming that this ad has been moved to a later time slot, at least after 8pm. We do not wish to seek legal action for the trauma caused, yet if we do not receive an adequate reply we will escalate this incident.”
“This a horror movie rated MA 15+ but is being advertised and shown during on demand streaming of family shows. The ad includes many scary scenes that shouldn't be shown without the viewer being able to consent and prepare to see these scenes.”
Source: Universal Pictures
In response, Universal Pictures disputed the complaints as the company believes the ad’s violence is justifiable as it is promoting a horror film which is scary and suspenseful in context.
And obtained clearance to display the advertisement according to the guidelines provided for the appropriate targeting and therefore the ad would have appeared on demand.
However, the Panel noted that while the use of horror and violence images was relevant to the product being advertised, the advertiser could and should have chosen other, less violent, scenes to use.
The Panel considered that many people would find the violent nature of the advertisement shocking, and the high level of violence and menace was not justifiable in the context of advertising the horror movie at a time when children can view the advertisement.
Therefore, the advertisement did breach Section 2.3 of the Code.
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