Scary Poltergeist Clown Poster Cleared By Ad Watchdog

Scary Poltergeist Clown Poster Cleared By Ad Watchdog

Terrifying clown ads promoting horror remake Poltergeist have been cleared by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

The ASA received 72 complaints about the posters and bus ads featuring a disturbing, smiling clown with the tagline “They know what scares you”.

creepy-new-poltergeist-poster-knows-what-scares-you

The ASA said that despite the complaints, the ads didn’t violate any codes. “The ASA acknowledged that some children and adults considered that the ad was distressing especially in an untargeted, outdoor medium and that consumers with colrophobia could find the ad distressing.

“We noted that the ad had a dark format and the image of the clown stared out from the poster and had a scruffy appearance.

“However, we considered the image was not menacing and noted the ad included no other images that were likely to contribute to such an impression.

“The ad also included the text ‘They know what scares you. Poltergeist’ but we considered in the context of ads for a horror movie it was not overtly threatening or suggestive of danger, rather it was likely to be understood by consumers as being a typical reflection of a movie of that format.

“Although we acknowledged that some distress had been caused, because we did not consider that the overall impression of the ads was such that they were likely to cause excessive fear or distress, particularly in the context of an ad for a horror film, we concluded that they were not irresponsibly targeted in outdoor media.”

 




Please login with linkedin to comment

Latest News

Scroll Media Recruits Costa Panagos From Twitch
  • Advertising

Scroll Media Recruits Costa Panagos From Twitch

Digital publisher network Scroll Media has employed ex-Amazon Twitch gaming executive Costa Panagos (lead image) to strengthen its Scroll Gaming capability. Panagos is highly experienced in game advertising and media sales professional with two years in account management at Twitch and three years in media sales at News Corp, so will bring his extensive media agency […]

Year13, Microsoft & KPMG Australia Launch AI Course For Gen Zs
  • Technology

Year13, Microsoft & KPMG Australia Launch AI Course For Gen Zs

School-leaver service Year13 has launched a new Artificial Intelligence course to upskill young people in AI, made in collaboration with Microsoft and KPMG, at an event to rally industry support behind youth AI fluency. The free online course AI Amplified which is part of Year13’s Academy aims to provide all young people with the opportunity […]

General Motors Snares Heath Walker From Scania
  • Advertising

General Motors Snares Heath Walker From Scania

General Motors has announced the appointment of Heath Walker (lead image) as the new marketing director for GM Australia and New Zealand, effective April 23, 2024. Walker brings a wealth of marketing and communications experience gained from working across various industries, including IT, sporting, and auto – notably Tesla, Nissan and most recently, Scania in […]