The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) rules that outdoor poster advertising for Lee Cronin’s horror film “The Mummy” breaches its advertising code and should be banned on London Underground. The decision follows 30 complaints from members of the public. Complaints focus on the posters’ imagery, including concerns that it is distressing and gives “a realistic impression of a dead child,” which the ASA considers likely to cause harm or serious offence, particularly for children.
BBC News reports the poster is banned because the depiction is “too realistic.” Variety adds that the ASA investigation considered four separate issues raised by complainants and that the watchdog clears other parts of the campaign, including companion television and streaming advertisements, indicating the ruling is specific to the outdoor poster format and its content as displayed on public transport.
The matter reflects the ASA’s assessment of how audiences may react to the marketing imagery in an everyday setting, rather than a full review of the film’s broader promotional materials.
