Honestly, it’s pretty goddamn creepy.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has ruled that a recent Spotify ad is “particularly likely” to scare children, making the decision to ban the commercial in the wake of claims that it was too distressing for children when it premiered on YouTube back in June. In the ad, a particular song played on Spotify summons an evil doll; a “killer song,” if you will.
One particular moment in the ad, which plays out like a horror movie trailer, shows the doll walking down the hallway, its arms impossibly outstretched. It calls to mind a similar scene from Wes Craven’s A Nightmare on Elm Street, and it’s honestly total nightmare fuel.
“The fact that the ad was set inside a home, including a bedtime setting, and featured a doll, meant it was particularly likely to cause distress to children who saw it,” the ASA ruled.
Spotify commented in a statement, “We acknowledge the ruling from the ASA and regret any distress the ad may have caused the complainant.”
You can watch the full ad below.