Over in the UK, a Spotify commercial has been banned from television after the country’s Advertising Standards Authority deemed it a lil on the spooky side. #Wimps.
The pre-roll ad appeared on YouTube in June and is emulating a very Freudian horror film style. An eyeless (but not lifeless) doll is haunting anyone who plays Camila Cabello’s absolute track, ‘Havana’. Which is fair, that song bangs.
The people seem to catch on to the fact that playing ‘Havana’ summons this evil, cursed, and seemingly dangerous doll thing into their lives, but they just can’t resist playing it because have you HEARD that song? I relate.
It’s tagline is “Killer songs you can’t resist” and honestly I think this is a pretty damn good ad.
But after complaints from some scaredy cat(s), the ASA investigated and ruled that it is unjustifiably distressing, especially considering it’s targeting children. Spotify tried to contest that they’re targeting a young adult audience who can handle a bit of horror, and their data showed that 89 per cent of viewers of the channel where the ad was streamed were 18 or older.
But apparently between the cute doll and featuring of a house, it makes it a kid’s ad.
“The fact the ad was set inside the home, including a bedtime setting, and featured a doll, meant it was particularly likely to cause distress to children who saw it,” the ASA wrote in its ruling. “We did not consider that the context of the ad justified the distress.”
Anyway, to each their own but I reckon the UK kids could use a little scare here and there. Although I could barely sleep for weeks after watching Final Destination when I was eight. Whatever.
Spotify has folded and both agreed with the ruling and apologised.
“We acknowledge the ruling from the ASA and regret any distress the ad may have caused the complainant,” a Spotify spokesperson said of the ad. “It was created as a tongue-in-cheek horror parody – intended to be a humorous ad that demonstrated just how catchy some tracks can be.”
Whatever the UK says, I like the spooky ‘Havana’ ad I think it’s a masterpiece that is all.