Censored Home Front Calgary Domestic Abuse Ads

Home Front Calgary

WARNING: Violence & Coarse Language
Parental Discretion Advised

A bold and innovative television public awareness campaign about domestic violence will not be shown on Calgary television stations due to an unfavourable ruling from the Television Bureau of Canada (TVB).

The TVB denied the HomeFront Society of Calgary approval to run the two public service announcements because they were deemed too graphic according to their Telecaster Guidelines. Given the failure to receive TVB approval, local Calgary televisions stations have decided not to run the PSAs (public service announcements).

“The purpose of the PSAs is to shine a light on domestic abuse by putting domestic violence situations in public places where it would not be tolerated.”

With the support of Ogilvy & Mather Calgary, HomeFront is currently appealing the TVB’s decision.

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On the one hand, there are harrowing aspects of these ads, like the waitress' throaty scream as she's being scalded. One the other hand, they're so over the top, its hard not to find ghoulish humor in them. The police advisors for the ads felt they didn't go far enough to reflect actual domestic violence cases, but with the Alan Thicke-caliber of acting displayed, I expect that was for the best. Seeing the Canadian Scott Bakula taking the final leap into home abuse with Troma-level effects would have altered the intended effect all the more.