As Netflix recently found out, not-safe-for-work ads can be condemned for being too controversial.
Adweek reports a German billboard for the streaming service’s zombie-comedy Santa Clarita Diet was taken down after receiving more than 50 complaints about its “disturbing” content.
Netflix routinely pulls out all the stops when marketing new original series’, with the recently-released Santa Clarita Diet being no exception. Mocking the German dish currywurst, the billboard featured a severed finger, ready to be served and eaten.
https://twitter.com/ArtVande1ay/status/833087272941678592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
It’s an effective visualization of Santa Clarita Diet’s concept: Zombies see people as food. But, the billboard was deemed unnecessarily gruesome, at least for the general public.
According to the Berliner Tagesspiegel, objectors referred to the controversial billboard as “disgusting” and “disturbing to children and adolescents,” which is an entirely understandable sentiment.
Without proper context, it’s easy to see how people walking or driving by would get grossed out looking at the billboard.
Netflix nailed one aspect of the campaign, setting up a zombie-themed food truck that served currywurst like the cooked finger from the billboard.
Fabulous ad integration by Netflix’s marketing team.
heute mal ne diet 🙂 #santaclarita #netflix #boulevard #berlin #gratis #superaktion pic.twitter.com/IHQgSEppb1
— Britta (@BerlinBritta) February 18, 2017
As visually engaging as the billboard is, the gory imagery crossed the ad-friendly line. Nobody needs to see a sliced up finger on their daily commute.
Netflix was going for shock value and got it, and then some.
[Adweek]
