Film advertising often needs to strike a careful balance between generating excitement for an upcoming release and ensuring content is suitable for the audience likely to see it. ASA rulings highlight that the context, medium and execution of an ad are just as important as the film being promoted. Here we have outlined all considerations for budding film makers among you… or at the very least, marketing agencies for movie distributors. ACTION!
Cape Fear…and Distress
A key consideration is whether an ad is likely to cause fear, distress or offence, particularly to children. The ASA has generally accepted that film marketers can feature scenes that reflect a film's narrative, provided they are not excessively graphic or disturbing. For example, an out-of-home poster ad for Venom: Let There Be Carnage was found to not breach the Code because the imagery was considered relatively mild, fantastical in nature and unlikely to cause widespread distress.
However, in a ruling for Predator: Badlands, the ASA concluded that imagery showing what appeared to be a human-like figure with a distorted head, holding a smaller figure severed in two, was likely to frighten younger children. As the ad was shown in untargeted media (such as outdoor posters or public digital displays), the ad could be seen by people of all ages, and so it was considered unsuitable for that environment and breached the Code.
No Context for Old Men
The context of an ad will also influence how content is interpreted. In a Sky Cinema promotion featuring a clip from The Boss Baby: Family Business, the phrase “What the fudge?” was not considered seriously offensive. The ASA considered the expression to be a mild phrase in its own right, and noted that the ad formed part of a family-focused film montage. It was therefore unlikely to cause harm or widespread offence.
You can read more about offence and language here.
Place Jam
Where an ad is shown is also something that should be considered. An pre-roll ad on YouTube for the Scary Movie included a scene featuring a masked individual on a train stabbing another individual with a knife. Another scene featured various children holding severed limbs, including a small girl holding severed testicles stating “What the f***” with the last word being censored.
The ad had been targeted using interest-based filters to logged-in users between 18 and 64 years. The ASA considered that the targeting and placement controls meant it was unlikely to cause serious or widespread offence, or unjustified fear or distress.
How To Lose an Audience in 10 Days
While ads for films can reflect the themes and characters of the works they promote, advertisers must consider the likely audience and placement of the ad. Content that is clearly fantastical, mild or appropriately scheduled is less likely to raise concerns. However, graphic violence, gore or imagery that could unduly frighten young children may not be acceptable in media where audiences cannot be targeted.
If you still want more advice, see our rip-roaring Entertainment: Films and TV guidance, and if you would like to add some old Hollywood glamour to your ads (or at least make sure your ads are likely to be compliant!), contact our Copy Advice team.
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