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Call of Duty Ad Banned for Trivializing Sexual Violence
18 Feb
Summary
- An ad for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 was banned for trivializing sexual violence.
- The advert depicted an invasive airport security search presented humorously.
- The ASA ruled the ad irresponsible and offensive, ordering its removal.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned an advertisement for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 due to concerns it trivialized sexual violence. The ad, uploaded to YouTube in November, depicted a non-consensual and invasive airport security search, with officers portrayed in a confident and joking demeanor.
Complaints cited the advert as irresponsible and offensive for its portrayal of sexual violence. The ASA agreed, noting that the humor was derived from the humiliation and implied threat of penetration, which was presented as an entertaining scenario. The ruling stated the ad must not be shown again in its current form.
Activision Blizzard UK Ltd argued the ad targeted adult audiences tolerant of exaggerated humor. However, the ASA concluded that the advert's content trivialized sexual violence and caused serious offense, instructing the company to ensure future ads are socially responsible.
