Three Halloween Campaigns That Have Our Hearts Racing
Simply click and drag your
cursor over a passage of
text from the article below
to tweet or share.
Halloween is finally here and to celebrate, we’re looking at some bloody good campaigns that had our heart rates climbing. Proceed with caution.
HEINZ PAINTS A “JOKER” SMILE WITH KETCHUP
This year’s Heinz Halloween campaign embraces the mess of a late-night nosh with a sinister, Joker-inspired twist.
Off the back of Todd Phillips’ Joker sequel, Joker: Folie à Deux, this campaign’s imagery paints a bloodied Joker smile on various models with the help of the crimson household condiment. This campaign, imagined by creative agency Gut New York, has caused a frenzy of discussion.
The CCO of Gut New York, Lucas Bongioanni, described the campaign’s inspiration as an exploration of “irrational love” for ketchup, specifically Heinz. In Bongioanni’s mind, the condiment has the power to dissuade consumers from engaging in traditional dinner etiquette and instead encourages them to swap it out for something more messy and realistic.
The effect of this campaign is powerful, blending the timelessness of the Heinz brand with an approach that is timely. It is to be noted, however, that Heinz continues to battle claims of racism within their advertising, with this campaign being no exception. Maybe the true horror of this campaign has yet to manifest itself.
“PRETZEL FACE” LOOKS SALTY, BUT HE’S REALLY QUITE SWEET
Snyder’s of Hanover is looking to make Halloween “Sweet and Salty” this year, with the help of the Freddy Krueger/Jason Voorhees-inspired “Pretzel Face.”
Pretzfel face, much like any decried horror villain, has the intent to commit a truly despicable crime—this time, it’s mixing sweets with pretzels.
The campaign’s overall impact is quirky, clever, and memorable. It relies on our peripheral knowledge of terrifying horror villains and converts it into something, well, sweet.
Seasonal marketing has the power to build brand affinity with consumers, leaving a recognisability that they will always associate with. But it only works if the campaign is iconic or memorable enough.
Snyder’s of Hanover exceeds in this task, haunting consumers with “Pretzel Face” for years to come. Maybe every Halloween from now on will be “Sweet and Salty”.
THIS TRIPPY BREW WILL SEND YOU SKY HIGH
This trippy animated short film from Beavertown Brewery encourages you to be “Terrified responsibly this Halloween,” while strapping you on a strange “Flightmare” that delights your senses and fears.
The story of the film is a compelling exploration of what constitutes fear, with trippy animation to accompany provided by Black Dog. The effect of this film does not feel like an outright advert, however, with the only mention of the brewery tacked on at the end. We have found that this can be a powerful approach for brands to take in their marketing efforts. Similar to our previous blog about Marc Jacobs’ UGC approach, audiences seem to connect well with ads that don’t really look like ads.
Overall, this Halloween campaign feels incredibly unique in approach. Yet, it somehow feels exactly like a creative approach a craft beer brand would take. After all, they’re the hipsters of marketing.
WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THESE CAMPAIGNS?
Halloween campaigns offer brands the opportunity to create something truly memorable, inspired by humanity’s shared fascination with the sinister. An iconic campaign has the power to bolster brand recognition, and can sometimes attract a cult following from consumers.
These three campaigns are creative marvels that play with an audience’s desire to seek thrills. They beg us to look, but only through hands covering our eyes.
If you still need more inspiration for an upcoming campaign, why not give us a buzz? We’re pretty good at giving advice.
Click here to get in touch with our team.
