May 14, 2018

CAP explains that it wants to make sure that marketers are at their most vigilant this May because, apparently, it is Zombie Awareness Month.

CAP points out that, clearly, we should all take reasonable steps to prepare for any threat from a zombie apocalypse (as the Zombie Research Society points out, “it’s not a matter of if, but a matter of when”).

Until the zombies actually arrive, the CAP Code makes clear that advertisers should be careful not to cause panic, fear or distress. CAP says that there “will always be a fine line to tread when you try to raise awareness of the coming zombie apocalypse”.

Featuring the slogan “different takes guts”, a long-form video ad on YouTube showed people playing around with blood, guts and other organs (in fairness, they were perhaps not actually zombies, but they were engaging in some pretty zombie-like behaviour). This gory ad broke the rules because the realistic and graphic imagery was likely to cause distress to viewers. However, a shorter version showing the characters having mug shots taken, still blood-splattered but thankfully detained by the authorities, was considered distasteful rather than offensive or distressing.

CAP says that untargeted zombie images that are gruesome, gory or grisly will usually fall foul of the rules. A poster on the London Overground promoted a potentially useful training experience for “the battle for survival” during a zombie apocalypse, but by showing a hollow-eyed and blood-soaked member of the undead community in an untargeted medium like this, the ad broke the rules.

As for horror films, CAP says that it is often a little more acceptable to feature scary content when advertising them, but careful targeting is still required and really gory material is only going to be suitable for a very select audience.

However, not all ads featuring zombies break the rules. Scheduling them after the 9 pm watershed can help. To read CAP’s advice note in full, click here.