Orlando Mommies say Universal Orlando Halloween billboards go too far

Carrie M. said:
It just plain doesn't make sense to put an age warning on the event and then post giant images of the event on billboards.

Seems to me, it'd be no different than the advertising for an R rated movie.

Yep, my perspective applies to R rated movie billboards, too.

See, I think that MIGHT be Universal's point. They've always asked that people not bring kids who are too young to be exposed to this kindf of stuff. Done more than asked, they've gone considerably out of the way to discourage people bringing in younger kids. To no avail.Trust me, the LAST thing Universal needs at this point is more advertising for the event. It's insane, I haven't even gone the last couple years, opting for the WAY less crowded (but still busy and successful) Howl-O-Scream at BGT/A. Kinda like Aquatica this summer, they really can't take any *more* people. So maybe in their own way, the advertising is an effort to get a more SUITABLE crowd. Just a thought....

I can see why a parent may be upset with a billboard like this. My child is deathly affraid of a scary halloween mask I keep in the basement. A child who see's one of these could become very upset. However, life can be scary and it really is a part of growing up. I remember seeing the Exorcist when I was a child (cut version) which scared the piss out of me. Everytime I saw a clip or advertisement for it I became very scared. But years later, here I am grown up and for the most part with it. To keep tabs on everything that someone may be scared of or offended by would make life pretty boring if you ask me. If you are trying to convey a message of an extremly scary halloween attraction you need a very scary billboard. It grabs people's attention. You can't have a billboard saying "come to our halloween attraction, it's realy scary."

I'm tired of other people trying to tell me how to live my life. It's happening more and more. These groups like Orlando Mommies are at the root of this.

I don't really see it as telling anyone how to live their life. I think they are just expressing their opinions/concerns about something that affects them. I think they have that right.

Lord Gonchar said:

Carrie M. said:
It just plain doesn't make sense to put an age warning on the event and then post giant images of the event on billboards.

Seems to me, it'd be no different than the advertising for an R rated movie.

R rated movies still have to have content approved for advertising, there is no such system in place for HHN or other events. The argument is IF Universal crossed the line in general advertising for the event. You don't see ads for Blood Lust Rape Fest 5 infront of the My Little Pony: The Movie do you? (granted this is still a little different than visual advertising, buy you get my gist)

I want to see more of these billboards before I say for a fact Universal is in the wrong here.

The Mole said:
You don't see ads for Blood Lust Rape Fest 5 infront of the My Little Pony: The Movie do you?

Mostly because it'd be wasted advertising. It's the same reason you don't see ads for My Little Pony before Blood Lust Rape Fest 5.

(I do understand your point, though. Just saying :) )

Carrie M. said:
I don't really see it as telling anyone how to live their life. I think they are just expressing their opinions/concerns about something that affects them. I think they have that right.

I think it's a simple as this - if it doesn't break and law or code or whatever governs this sort of thing, then the poor little mommies need to get over it.

Society has set the rules. Protests, speaking out, making waves and things like this change those rules and redraw the lines. These ladies want to redraw the line and that is telling people how to live.

I see where you are coming from. But why should anyone have to stay silent about something that matters to them?

I most definitely am not comfortable with conforming to the rules our society has drawn just because making waves might upset someone.

And I think it is a stretch to suggest that changing a billboard advertisement for a Halloween event correlates to telling people how to live. It's not like they are protesting the event itself or anyone's right to attend it.

I think people are just plain old sick of hearing someone or some group cry about everything. It really doesn't bother me either way, but it seems everytime you turn around a group of people who you never had heard about or never wanted to hear about is making a bunch of noise that some may feel is sickning. Then the people who are sick of hearing it are told they are either insensitive monsters or told "we have the right to say what we want." Well yeah they do have the "right" but so does everyone else. This right thing, which I truly can't stand hearing about anymore, is a two way street. It seems the ones who always cry about their rights never want to hear an opposing view about it. Not saying that's whats going on here but that does happen a lot. I can see from people's responses here they are sick of cry groups and just don't want to hear it anymore.

egieszl said:
I'm tired of other people trying to tell me how to live my life. It's happening more and more.

I partially agree, but I also feel very strongly that culturally we've become inconsiderate toward others. I'm not siding with the mommies here, but I also believe that you need to have some degree of sensitivity to others. For example, my biggest thing with environmental issues isn't as much about the damage we do as much as the fact that everyone else is willing to cause damage without regard to the fact that they have to share the planet. Smokers exercise their "right" to smoke without regard to people around them.

It's a fine line, and a blurry one when it comes to "artistic expression" at that. Marketing scary images where kids are likely to see them would probably trouble me to some degree as a parent, and I'm not even the kind that intends to shelter them from anything that's "bad."

Why aren't the mommies protesting the REAL violence that occurs daily in our society? Just sayin' is all... ;) It seems like there's always an uproar over the *portrayals* of this and that on TV, in movies, on radio, etc. - but are the rap musicians responsible for causing the violence....or just reporting on it (perhaps glamorizing it)? Clearly, to SOME degree, making antisocial behavior less unacceptable has its costs....but at what point to we claim that the news reporter is reponsible for the shootings instead of just informing the public...

To be honest, gator, we don't know that they aren't. And surely, you're not suggesting that people can't discuss little concerns like this until all the "big" ones have been addressed?

The ones I see over-reacting are not the Mommies, but the people complaining that they're telling other people how to live their lives. Really? Get over it! Are they telling Universal not to hold the event, or trying to keep people from attending? Just where it may or may not be appropriate to advertise the event. That isn't censorship in the least.

It's a simple truth--not everything is appropriate for every age and every audience. The TOS for this site is quite detailed about what is and isn't appropriate to post. Does anyone here feel they're being censored? Do you really believe anything goes, anywhere? How about if you were seeing something you didn't agree with?

RatherGoodBear said:
The ones I see over-reacting are not the Mommies, but the people complaining that they're telling other people how to live their lives. Really? Get over it! Are they telling Universal not to hold the event, or trying to keep people from attending? Just where it may or may not be appropriate to advertise the event. That isn't censorship in the least.

Sounds like you're suggesting one side can complain but the other can't. I think the mommies need to get over it. Looks like we all can't get over it - that's where discussion and debate come in. I think that's where this thread currently is.

It's a simple truth--not everything is appropriate for every age and every audience.

Agreed. But many people posting in this thread (and pretty much everyone but the 'mommies') don't seem to have a problem with it. (or not enough to make a scene about it)

The TOS for this site is quite detailed about what is and isn't appropriate to post. Does anyone here feel they're being censored? Do you really believe anything goes, anywhere? How about if you were seeing something you didn't agree with?

And it goes back to what I said previously - there are rules, laws and such that govern advertising like this...a terms of service for life, if you will. As long as the terms decided by society aren't being broken, then the mommies really do need to get over it - it's been decided.

With that said - that's exactly why I'd like to see the billboards in question. I have a funny feeling they're not as bad as the mommies would lead us to believe and I'd also be willing to bet they don't cross any legal lines either.

On a related note, I think it'd be interesting to note who does and doesn't have kids and their take on this story.

Not because it makes an opinion more valid or anything, but because it'd be an interesting stat.

This is all I can find regarding the billboards. Some of the articles indicate there are variations in billboards, but so far I only see the one?

I also found this press release information. I find the way Universal wrote their press release to be really interesting. Can we say planted the seed, anyone?

Carrie M. said:
I find the way Universal wrote their press release to be really interesting. Can we say planted the seed, anyone?

Yeah, exactly. Again, the one photo we have seems like the same ad design that's in the article - and I'm sorry, but that's so far from 'over the line' that it's almost humorous that anyone would think it is.

Perhaps we're all just doing exactly what Universal put us in motion to do? :)

Lord - I have children and as I stated before, I really think getting scared by somthing like this is just a part of growing up. I gave the Exorcist example for myself. That movie really scared the crap out of me and every time I saw an advertisement for it I would have bad dreams that very night. But, I made it through childhood, for better or worse. If you ask moms, like my wife, she would side with the mommie group. Most dads will not be so sheltering of their children and may just be indifferent to it. My children are still scared of things like the ones talkd about here. However, I am not going to hide them from these things. What happens if they see something like this when I'm not around? Fall to pieces? Don't think that would do them any good. If people shelter their children to death they may just wind up with a Ralph Wigham type child.

I would not be surprised at all if Universal came up with "Orlando Mommies" to be angry at their own billboards to create buzz. That would be clever marketing.

RatherGoodBear said:And surely, you're not suggesting that people can't discuss little concerns like this until all the "big" ones have been addressed?

"Discuss" - sure, we come here to talk about amusement parks, right? As far as "putting forth community involvement energies" to fight advertising...I wonder what Sheila Broflovski might do? Gotta say for me it's probably a matter of prioritizing...and Kyle is a special little boy that could use more attention. :)