Brands Latch Onto Halloween for Creepy Campaigns

It wouldn’t be a proper Halloween without a nightmare-inducing clown, and Six Flags obliges with just such a creature that terrorizes young housemates and then backseat drives them to a theme park outing.

The 5-minute film, a narrative first for the brand from creative agency TMA, leans heavily into the horror genre, adding a tension-busting, comedic kicker. The video, dubbed “Tick. Tick. Tick,” aims to help Six Flags parks in five North American markets hype their annual dive into the dark side, targeting teens and young adults.

“Halloween is having a huge cultural moment, and for us the time was ripe to up the ante on how we engage with consumers and immerse them into our unique Halloween experience,” according to Stella Smith, vice president of advertising and creative services at Six Flags Entertainment Co.

Six Flags, with the eerie tagline “don’t keep fear waiting,” is one of a number of marketers—Opendoor, Samuel Adams, Angry Orchard, and Supercell among them—taking advantage of spooky season.

It’s no wonder that brands of all stripes, chasing consumer demand and pop culture, continue to flock to the holiday. Last fall, revenge spending on Halloween broke records at $12.2 billion, topping pre-pandemic levels, per the National Retail Federation. 2024’s tally may be slightly less, but consumers are still expected to shell out about $11.6 billion, per NRF data.

The 25- to 34-year-old age group leads the pack in spending for the holiday, according to NRF, though 72% of consumers across demos say they will take part in various festivities like handing out candy, decorating their homes and yards, dressing in costume, carving a pumpkin, or throwing or attending a party.

While this is a sneak peek into Halloween marketing, it won’t be the last story. Continue checking ADWEEK for more creepy coverage this month, but read on for some early standout campaigns.

The bloodsucker next door

Though the real estate category might not seem to have an organic link to Halloween, Opendoor has latched onto the creepy holiday for its latest campaign. 

And its agency, VaynerMedia, backed up the move with the following consumer insight: top-performing content for the brand has traditionally featured homeowners who kickstart the selling process based on seasonal factors.