Chocolate company Mars have removed all advertising from Youtube after it appeared alongside drill music videos on the streaming platform.

The rap subgenre has proven controversial for many. Earlier this year, YouTube announced that they had deleted more than half of the music videos considered to be ‘violent’, with police specifically singling out ‘drill music’ for ‘promoting gang violence’. Videos were then reposted on Youtube in protest.

Last week also saw rapper Incognito from the London drill group Moscow17 killed in a triple stabbing in Camberwell, south London. Now, Mars have taken issue with what they deem as an “unacceptable” genre – after product Starburst appeared alongside a video for Moscow17.


“It is unacceptable and disappointing to see one of our brands advertised alongside this video content,” a Mars spokesman told The Guardian. “This clearly breaches our brand safety guidelines and Mars adverts should never run alongside such content.

“We have taken the action to remove all our online advertising on YouTube and can confirm we are working with Google and our media buying agencies to understand what went wrong.

They added: “Until we have confidence that appropriate safeguards are in place, we will not advertise on YouTube.”

A Youtube spokesman added: “We share the deep concern on this issue and don’t want our platform used to incite violence.”

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The past year has seen many speak out against critics of drill music. Over 6,000 people signed a petition by a drill group 1011, calling on Youtube to stop targeting the genre.


Yemi Abiade, Editor of Dummy Magazine, told the Independent earlier this year: “Ignoring these problems breed contempt, giving birth to more violence.

“Regardless of London’s murder rate, drill will continue to offer a voice to those without one because, for many of them, it’s all they have to survive.