UK regulator bars outdoor ads for The Mummy over graphic child imagery
The Advertising Standards Authority prohibited The Mummy’s outdoor posters in the UK after 30 complaints said they realistically depicted a dead child.
After receiving 30 complaints, the UK Advertising Standards Authority ruled that outdoor posters for Lee Cronin’s The Mummy must be removed because they give a realistic impression of a dead child. The ads, placed in London tube stations, displayed a close-up of a mummified-looking girl with one eye swollen shut and a tagline warning that some things should stay buried. Warner Bros defended the campaign, noting it had passed Clearcast’s vetting and been approved by Transport for London’s advertising partner Global for the Underground network.
The studio also emphasized that the trailer avoided explicit gore or jump scares. The ASA concluded that, despite the ads not being within 100 metres of schools, a billboard could be seen from a nursery, making the images unsuitable for public outdoor display. Consequently, the posters were deemed to breach advertising codes and were banned.
Why it matters
The ruling highlights how UK regulators protect children from distressing imagery in public advertising.
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