The United Kingdom’s Advertising Standards Authority has ruled that outdoor poster advertisements for “Lee Cronin’s The Mummy” violated advertising regulations due to disturbing imagery. The regulator determined that the posters, which depicted a mummified figure with grey skin, cracked lips, and wrapped in shroud-like material, presented a realistic depiction of a deceased child. This decision came after the ASA received approximately 30 complaints from viewers who found the ads distressing.
The controversial posters appeared in untargeted locations throughout London, including the Underground transit system and outdoor sites near a children’s nursery. Because young children could easily encounter the imagery without warning, the ASA concluded the advertisements were inappropriate for public display in their original form. The regulator has ordered Warner Bros. Entertainment to prevent similar marketing materials from appearing in locations where children are likely to see them.
Warner Bros. had defended the campaign by arguing that specific design choices—such as a neutral expression, an open eye, and the absence of a sarcophagus—were intended to minimize distress. The studio also noted its policy of keeping horror-themed outdoor advertisements at least 100 meters from schools. However, the ASA found these measures insufficient given the placement near a nursery.
Television and streaming advertisements for the same campaign, which depicted a family receiving news about a missing daughter, were cleared by regulators. The ASA determined that scheduling restrictions limiting their broadcast after 7:30 p.m. adequately protected young viewers from potential distress.
Originally reported by Variety →
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