We can all agree that YouTube ads are an unfortunate inconvenience which get between us and hours and hours of FailArmy compilations. However, we can hopefully also agree that – in the abstract, at least – a terrifying jump-scare in a pre-roll ad is pretty funny. That’s what the marketers behind upcoming horror flick The Nun tried – until YouTube banned it.
You may or may not have seen the jump-scare in question. The ad for the Conjuring spin-off begins with a blank screen which lingers for a few seconds, before the screaming face of a demonic nun suddenly appears, causing you to spill instant noodles all over yourself and howl in pain. It’s a delightful throwback to the good old days of 2005, when every video your friends linked you to was in the same format.
Here it is, preserved for eternity, with a helpful warning about what you are going to see:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DR-K9zOd-Bc
After a tweet went viral warning people about the ad, the official YouTube Twitter account quickly responded, confirming that the ad contravened their policy and will be removed.
Appreciate you bringing this to our attention! This ad violates our shocking content policy and it’s no longer running as an ad. More info here: https://t.co/dOUocjUevh
— TeamYouTube (@TeamYouTube) August 14, 2018
The page the tweet links to clarified that YouTube bans many types of ads in line with their shocking content policy, including “Gruesome imagery,” “Gratuitous bodily fluids or waste,” and “Promotions that are likely to shock or scare.”
Oh well. The Nun, which will no doubt feature dozens of jump-scares involving satanic nuns, hits cinemas on September 7.
