Spotify ad has been banned in the UK for distressing children

The UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned Spotify advert which mimicked a horror film and showed to young people being threatened by a scary doll when they played a particular song on YouTube.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said that the ad is likely to scare young viewers. Spotify has been informed to make adjustments in its future ads that must comply with the standards and must not create distress among young children, also the ads are targeted properly.

“We acknowledge the ruling of ASA and regret any distress caused by the advert to the complainant,” Spotify said in a statement reported by BBC. ASA has also banned ads for breast enlargement shown during the ITV’s Love Island.

The Spotify Ad description

The Spotify ad aired on YouTube in June 2018, the ad featured some scenes of young people regularly playing the song “Havana by Camila Cabello”

The video also shows that because of playing music a horror film style doll appears in the background and then pops up to scare the people playing that song.

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The complaint was filed in two separate standings including the ad has caused distress among children and it was being shown on YouTube where young viewers are likely to watch it.

The ASA said in ruling that the ad has featured a scary doll and bedtime setting which is likely to scare young children. Spotify defended the cause and said despite the ad featured some horror style but it did not have any gore or violence in it.

Additionally, it said, almost 73% of the audience for the channel on YouTube the ad appeared on was between 18 and 44.

Spotify after the ruling said, “We take our responsibilities as a marketer very seriously and continue to be mindful of the ASA’s guidance on the effective and appropriate targeting of advertising campaigns.”