A seemingly routine series of billboards in Jakarta abruptly escalated into a nationwide discourse, leaving the public unsettled, intrigued, and questioning whether the campaign crossed the boundaries between creative marketing and psychological insensitivity.
The promotional display for the Indonesian horror film Aku Harus Mati (I Must Die) has since been dismantled following widespread public backlash over its provocative and potentially harmful messaging.
Out-of-home advertisements for the film were removed across Jakarta after mounting criticism and concerns that the content could inadvertently contribute to suicidal ideation.
Installed along major arterial routes in Jakarta and several other Indonesian cities in late March, the campaign formed part of the promotional rollout ahead of the film’s theatrical release on April 2.
The visuals featured stark and disquieting slogans such as “I Must Die” and “Sell My Soul for the Wealth,” accompanied by an unsettling depiction of a blue, red-eyed entity. The imagery rapidly provoked public consternation, with residents denouncing it as distressing, inappropriate, and unsuitable for unrestricted public exposure.
The film centers on Mala a young woman navigating urban life whose relentless pursuit of material excess and hedonistic gratification plunges her into mounting financial distress.
Her trajectory darkens upon her return to an orphanage linked to her past, where a sequence of inexplicable and increasingly ominous events surrounding an isolated dwelling and supernatural forces begins to unfold, gradually unearthing concealed truths about her identity.
Diyah Puspitarini, a commissioner of the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI), expressed profound concern regarding the psychological implications of such messaging on minors.
She cautioned that explicitly charged phrases of this nature may exert a detrimental cognitive and emotional impact on children, who may lack the developmental capacity to adequately interpret or contextualize disturbing stimuli.
Findings from the Global School-Based Student Health Survey further underscore a concerning upward trajectory in youth mental health challenges. The proportion of students reporting suicidal ideation rose from 5.2% in 2015 to 8.5% in 2023, while reported suicide attempts surged from 3.9% to 10.7% over the same period.
In response to escalating public pressure, Jakarta authorities ordered the immediate removal of multiple billboards. Governor Pramono Anung confirmed that the administration had coordinated with relevant agencies and advertising stakeholders to ensure the swift withdrawal of the controversial campaign.
He further urged the creative industry to exercise heightened prudence in promotional practices, emphasizing that shock-driven marketing must not come at the expense of public sensitivity.
He cautioned that such incidents must not recur, warning against advertising strategies that may inadvertently compromise societal well-being.
