A frightening image used by the Edmonton Festival of Fear to promote their fall event has been pulled, but the online reaction continues.

The image in question showed two scantily clad women, who were chained up, and appeared to be in distress – it was used to advertise for VIP passes to the event.

“It’s not like it’s subtle or suggestive of sexual violence, it’s two women in bras chained up to a wall,” Lianne Makuch told CTV News.

She was shocked to see the image come across her Facebook news feed Monday morning, and she was one a number of people who reached out to organizers with concerns over the image.

“He’s responded by calling people ‘snowflakes’, or suggesting that they go ‘blow a donkey’, so his response has been extremely unprofessional, immature and really insensitive,” Makuch said.

The founder and organizer of the festival admitted to reacting in that way.

“That was my initial reaction when I first started seeing these complaints come in,” Barry J Gillis said in an interview with CTV News.

“I thought: ‘This is ridiculous’.”

Gillis said he couldn’t believe the outrage, the image was taken from a film he’s directing. The photo was part of a sponsored Facebook ad that is meant to show up for people who are interested in horror movies.

“I don’t know what happened, I think I clicked ‘boost’ on the post and for some reason I thought the audience was already chosen,” Gillis said.

“When I checked it later I was like ‘Ugh, this is why this is happening’.”

Gillis took the photo down reluctantly, after the venue for the event, Landmark Cinemas, threatened to pull the plug.

“If Landmark Cinemas didn’t say anything, would the photo still be out there? Yes,” Gillis said.

The image remains on the festival’s website.

For those who pushed for the photo’s removal, it’s hoped the incident sparks a wider conversation about appropriate advertising.

“The film festival was out to create an environment where something was scary, and I think they’ve succeeded probably beyond their wildest dreams,” Craig Patterson with the U of A School of retailing said.

With files from Shanelle Kaul