Horror movies have always been a popular go-to option for individuals looking to be frightened or scared, and these creepy marketing techniques are utilizing some of those shocking and disturbing elements as a way to draw in and attract consumers.
With the amount of print ads and commercials continually bombarding viewers every single day, it takes something truly unique and eye-catching to make people remember a certain product or theme. What better way to catch someone's attention than by showcasing a horrifying image or frighteningly scary horror character? From horrifying cereal commercials to frightening food safety ads, these creepy marketing techniques are utilizing scare tactics as way to make an impression on viewers.
Whether you enjoy horror movies or not, there's no doubt that these creepy marketing techniques will surely leave a bold and shocking impression on anyone who sees it.
40 Creepy Marketing Techniques
From Event-Promoting Horror Videos to Blood-Sucking Smoking Ads:
Tana Makmanee — Jun 27, 2013 — Marketing
40
Creepy Double-Take Campaigns
The Dominika Naziebty Spring/Summer 2012 Lookbook is Conceptual
39
Pregnant Promotions
The INDT Campaign is Swollen With Hilarity
38
Role Reversal Shockvertising
'Humans for Animals' Creates an Alarming Campaign
37
Morbid Magazine Marketing
The Ritual Magazine Italia Ad Campaign Depicts Creepy Kids
36
Freaky Marionette Fashion Ads
The Versace for H&M Video is Weird but Fascinating
35
Creepy Cause Campaigns
The K.I.D.S. 2011 Print Ads Show How Children's Diabetes Kills Innocence
34
Monster-Full Fashion Ads
The Mulberry Fall 2012 Campaign is Entirely Enchanting
33
Interactive Anti-Blemish Ads
Peel-Off Zits & Cellulite You Can Pop
32
Horrorvertising
Burger King's ‘Open Late' Campaign Caters to Scary Villains
31
Creepy Double-Faced Ads
The Berlitz Language Center Campaign Promotes Flawless Foreign Speaking
30
Blindfolded Victim Ads
The Instituto Crianca Nosso Futuro Campaign Focuses on False Promises
29
Cannibalistic Caffeine Campaigns
These Cafe Taina Coffee Ads Keep You Alert
28
Spiderwoman Sock Ads
Vog Socks Debut on the Web with Beautiful Arachnids
27
Monstrous Calling Campaigns
The Vodacom 2011 Ads Shows Free Calls After Midnight
26
Excited Eyeball Ads
The Hotwheels Elite Collection Campaign Will 'Make Daddy Jealous'
25
Chain Reaction Infection Ads
Dettol Hand Sanitizer Hammers Home the Need to Clean Your Hands
24
Creepy Skinvertising
Harnn Massage Balm Ads Get Under Your Skin
23
Voyeurvertising
Kia Soul Ad Campaign Gives Mobsters a Sneak Peek Inside
22
Uncomfortably Creepy Commercials
Snickers Gets Eerie for Halloween Campaign
21
Blood-Sucking Smoking Ads
The 'Mask' Campaign Discourage Smoking Through Dracula-Like Smokes
20
Barbaric Furniture Ads
The Connect Furniture Print Ads Show People Why They Need Furniture
19
Hygienic Shockvertising II
Carre Fresh: Wipe Whatever You've Touched
18
Sexual Predator Ads
The Baby Can Wait Campaign Teaches Girls About Healthy Relationships
17
Possessed Shoes & Earphones
Allegro.pl 'Things Get Closer' Campaign
16
Creepy Faceless Ads
The Young Lions Brazil 2013 Campaign Features Scrunched Up Expressions
15
Frightening Food Safety Ads
Parents and Kids Should watch Out for the Scorpion in the Burger
14
Indigestion Painvertising
GastroMilk Ads Show Animals Trying to Escape From Stomachs
13
Frightening Facial Hair Ads
The Newest Movember Ad Features David and his Creepy Mustache
12
Scary Listening Promos
BBC Radio Science Fiction Ad Scares You Into Listening
11
Head-Turning Car Ads
The Volkswagen Passat Campaign Promotes the Car's "Rear View Parking Camera"
10
Horrific Porcelain Ads
The Profondo Rosso Campaign is Shockingly Gory
9
Uncovering Alcoholism
These PSA Ads Reveal The Ugly Reality
8
Frightened Profile Update Ads
The SOS Violence Conjugale Campaign Sheds Awareness on Spousal Abuse
7
Insect Love Advertising
The Futureo Credit Card Campaign Unites Savers and Spenders
6
Devilish Vacuum Commercials
The Dirt Devil Exorcist Ad is Freakishly Funny
5
Double-Eyed Cat Campaigns
The Pet Show Pet Food Ads by Hermandad are Dizzying
4
Horrifying Cereal Commercials
The 'Cornflakes Advert' Video Will Make Your Blood Curdle
3
Informed Cyclops Ads
The Delo.ua News Briefly Campaign Shows 'One Glance is Enough'
2
Frightening Illness Ads
'The Bear' HIV Prevention Commercial Shows the Masked Qualities of HIV
1
Event-Promoting Horror Videos
Portfolio Night Could be as Scary as the Terrifying Promo Vid
Related Ideas
Comedic Horror Cosmetics
The NYX x Beetlejuice Collab Shares Bold Colors for Fantastical Looks
AI-Generated Ketchup Ads
Heinz Designed an Advertisement Using the Slogan 'It has to be Heinz'
Anti-Consumption Natural Ads
The 'Girls Just Wanna Grow Plants' Ad Aims to Reducing Consumption
Halloween-Inspired Pizza Menus
Pizza Hut Taiwan Introduces New Spooky Menu Items
Branded AI-Generated Short Films
KFC Philippines Captures Attention with AI-Generated Films
Halloween-Inspired Pretzel Campaigns
Snyder’s of Hanover Debuts the 'Pretzelface' Campaign
GenAI Confectionery Posters
The My Cadbury Era Tool Puts People into Retro Posters with AI
Film-Inspired Condiment Ads
GUT New York Forms the Heinz Smiles Campaign to Celebrate Joker 2
Thematic Super-Villain-Inspired Makeup Campaigns
NYX Launches the 'Who Stole Halloween?' Campaign
Hug-Inspired Olympics Campaigns
Coca-Cola's Summer Olympics Campaign was Inspired by True Events
Ketchup Dispenser Billboards
'Smack for Heinz' Helps Fans Complete Meals with a Favorite Condiment
Vampire Slayer Makeup Collections
Vampyre Cosmetics’ Buffy the Vampire Collab is Uniquely Eerie
Crave-Worthy Nutritious Food Brands
CVS Pharmacy Announced the Launch of Well Market
Horror-Creature-Inspired Footwear Capsules
Reebok Unveiled a Universal Monsters Collection
Naturalistic Taco Stand Campaigns
Coca-Cola Launched a Street Photography Campaign in Norway
Purposeful Consumer-Focused Campaigns
IKEA's Sleepfluencers Campaign is a Clever Way to Give Back
Candy Bowl Costumes
Reese's and Kit Kat Created the Trick-or-Treatable Costume
Hug-Activated Marketing Machines
UNIQLO France and The Pull Launch the Hug to Unlock Ad
Athletic Apparel Interactive Billboards
Gymshark Unveils the Shoplift Campaign Ahead of Sale
Humorous Payment Campaigns
Paypal's Latest Campaign Features Actor Will Ferrell
Lazy Cereal Campaigns
SURREAL Cereal Cheekily Pokes Fun at New Year's Resolutions
Creative Play Pop-Ups
The Sharpie Studio Offered Opportunities for Creativity at SXSW
Convention-Challenging AC Campaigns
Samsung's WindFree Ad Stars a Savvy Grandma-Fluencer
Provocative AR Campaigns
NotCo's 'Not So Happy Animals' Presents Food Logos in a New Light
Gen Alpha Marketing Campaigns
Claire's is Targeting TikTok Growth for its Latest Ads Spending
Halloween-Inspired Snacks
Mars Has Released Its Halloween Lineup, Which Includes Seven Products
Spooky Candle Collections
Goose Creek Candle Company Taps Beetlejuice in Its New Capsule
Spooky AR Yogurt Packaging
Chobani Unveiled Interactive Special Edition Halloween Packaging
Sensorial Horror-Inspired Hard Ciders
Angry Orchard Introduced its Hide & Shriek Prank Pack
Craveable Soda Packaging
Sprite is Reviving Its Obey Your Thirst Campaign for a New Generation
Eerie Film-Based Deodorant Campaigns
Secret Deodorant Debuts a Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Commercial
Cosmetic Criminal Commercials
Elf's Cosmetic Criminals Ad is a 15-Minute True Crime Parody
Marketer-Targeted Cereal Ads
Surreal's Out-of-Home Campaign Speaks to Marketers, Not Consumers
Globalized Spooky Destinations
Intrepid Travel Presents a Curated Selection of Spooky Adventures
Horror Film-Inspired Footwear
A New Collection of Horrific Crocs Celebrates Halloween Ahead
Cross-Category Refreshment Campaigns
Sprite and Pringles Hot Have Teamed Up for a New Campaign
Spooky Lunch Snack Ranges
These General Mills Halloween Products Come in New and Returning Options
Therapeutic Nature-Inspired Campaigns
Craghoppers Introduces Its Autumn/winter 2024 Campaign
Spooky Mashup Mayos
Heinz [Scarily] Good Monster Munch Mayo Features a Pickled Onion Flavor
Horror-Inspired Holiday Capsules
HUGO x Tim Burton Debut The Nightmare Before Christmas Merch
Ghostly Cinematic Donut Ranges
The Krispy Kreme x Ghostbusters Collection Celebrates the 1984 Film
Scented Fast Food Billboards
McDonald's Set Up a French Fry-Scented Billboard
Halloween-Only Candy Bar Varieties
These New Hershey's Halloween Treats are Arriving for 2024
Coffee Milk Campaigns
Kristen Wiig Stars in the Ad for the Craveable New Dunkin' Dunkalatte
Smart Shopping Cart Ads
Instacart Unveiled Ads for Its AI-Powered Caper Carts
Influencer-Inspired Ads
Tomcat's Ad Shows an Influencer Mouse with a Fatal Unboxing Twist
Shoppable CPG Ads
Instacart-Powered Shoppable Video Ads are Coming to YouTube
Confetti-Filled Snacking Commercials
Frito-Lay Launches the Taste of Super Bowl Campaign
Empowering Self-Care Pizza Ads
Domino's New Ad Encourages Women to Give into Their Cravings
Spooky Cartoon Beauty Capsules
Mad Beauty Unveils a Beetlejuice-Inspired Collection
AR Glow-in-the-Dark Wines
19 Crimes and Universal Products & Experiences Debuted a Halloween Wine
Anthropomorphic Store Campaigns
IKEA's Short Social Films Promote Its Click-and-Collect Service
Gen Z-Influenced Marketing Campaigns
Kraft Heinz is Studying Gen Z's Preferences with New Launches
70s-Style Cat Snack Ads
Temptations' Creamy Purrrr-ée Treats Star in a Nostalgic Holiday Ad
Viral Video Databases
Viral Ideas Offers Inspiration for a Content Creator's Next Big Video
Water Digital Wallet Loyalty Cards
Liquid Death Has Introduced the Liquid Death Country Club
Lengthy Halloween-Inspired Events
Michaels Has Launched Its 100 Days to Halloween Campaign
Immersive Hybrid Billboards
Meta's Halloween Thrillboards Tease Immersive Meta Quest 3 Experiences
Seasonal Character Mashup Cereals
Monsters Frightful Friends Cereal Has Four Flavors in One Box
Exclusive Spooky Season Meals
Burger King Just Added a New Creepy and Kooky Meal
Artisanal Halloween Chocolates
The Norman Love Confections 2024 Halloween Collection is Flavorful
Provocative Guerrilla Campaigns
Jewelry Brand MWCurated Uses Fake Infidelity Flyers for Marketing
Connected Beer Jerseys
Miller Lite's Running of the Beer Ads Turns Fans into Walking Billboards
Celebratory Musical Snack Campaigns
This Butterkist Wicked Promotion Celebrates the Upcoming Movie
Extraterrestrial Influencer Campaigns
MoonPie's Alien Acquisition Shares Ads for Extraterrestrials
Spooky Slider Packaging
White Castle Unleashed Limited-Edition Halloween Retail Packaging
Gen Z Breakfast Campaigns
'Start the Day the Totino’s Way' Targets Teens Who Skip Morning Meals
Festive Advent Campaigns
Cadbury's 24 Out-of-Home Ads Represent the Countdown to Christmas
Adorable Holiday Campaigns
Burberry's Holiday Campaign Spotlights Dogs and Ducklings
Cheerful Healthy Snack Campaigns
Garden Veggie Snacks' YUMbelievably Delicious is Innovative
Squishy Skull-Shaped Candies
Swizzels Squashies Squeletons are Arriving for Halloween
Scream Queen Skincare Campaigns
philosophy and Sarah Michelle Gellar Partnered for a Retinol Ad
Sweet Spooky-Season-Inspired Offerings
Tim Hortons US Features Halloween Menu Items
Mystery-Style Holiday Ads
Waitrose Adds Mystery to the Festive Season with ‘Sweet Suspicion’ Ad
Spooky Seasonal Libation Campaigns
The Heineken Meet the Chillers Campaign is Character-Driven
Marketing Idea Generators
Thunderbucket Provides Marketing Ideas and Observations at Speed
Visually Appealing Food Campaigns
Celestial Seasonings Launches the Taste Our World Campaign
Co-Branded Custom Ads
Lexus and Universal Pictures Partner for the 'Experience OZmazing' Spot
Spooky Treat-Inspired Calendars
Ferrero Unveils its 31 Days of Halloween Countdown Calendar
Scannable Tattoo Campaigns
Burger King Korea's Whopper Tattoo Promoted an Upgraded Whopper
Pumpkin-Inspired Community-Themed Campaigns
Danone North America Debuts the Tri Pumpkin Campaign
All-Dark Marketing Campaigns
IKEA Introduces its Darkest Campaign Yet with Try Oslo's Help
AI Horror Film Festivals
A.I.RHEADS SCAREFEST Shares Short Films Made with Artificial Intelligence
Chicken-Centered Campaigns
KFC Released a Campaign Called 'Believe in Chicken'
Human Connection-Centric Campaigns
Etsy's New Ad Campaign Wants to Keep Commerce Human
Cherry-Scented Foot Sprays
Airheads Created a First-of-Its-Kind Spray for Halloween
Peeling Cheese Packaging Billboards
This Babybel Billboard is Inspired by the Product's Packaging
QSR X-Ray Campaigns
KFC Spain Presents a Chicken X-Ray Campaign to Combat a Stigma
Interactive Influencer Features
YouTube's New 'Hype' Feature Allows Viewers to Share in Success
Eerie Film-Inspired Apps
The 'Welcome To The Afterlife Generator' Transforms Selfies
Spooky Film-Celebrating Cases
Velvet Caviar Releases its Beetlejuice Tech Collaboration
Artistic Multi-Beverage Ads
The Coca-Cola Family is Spotlighted in this Unique Ad
Cookie-Twisting Commercials
The OREO Super Bowl 2024 Spot Revisits Pivotal Moments in History
Gothic Poet-Themed Pop-Ups
This Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy is an Exclusive Cocktail Event
Influencer Snack Bar Campaigns
Nature Valley Launches a Social-Oriented Digital Marketing Campaign
Gourmet Halloween-Themed Chocolates
Compartés Celebrates Spooky Season with Limited-Edition Bars
Food-Themed Holiday Campaigns
Kroger’s 2024 Holiday Campaign Celebrates Food and Connection
Dark-Comedy Inspired Cereals
Kellog's Debuts Wednesday Cereal in Cookies & Creme Flavor
Halloween-Themed Treat Boxes
The Sugar Plum Halloween Boo Box is Packed with Seasonal Sweets
Spooky String Cheese Snacks
Strings & Things Scarestrings are Launching for the Halloween Season
Anniversary-Celebrating Storytelling Ads
The Walt Disney Company Mark Marvel's 85th Anniversary
Minimizing Phone Usage Initiatives
Heineken's Latest Campaign Addresses Phone Use at Music Events
Quirky Plant-Based Food Ads
Gosh! Food's Falafel Advertisement is Surprising
Recycled Ad Campaigns
Mars is Reusing Fan-Favorite Ads to Bring Attention to Climate Change
Blockbuster Shopping Campaigns
Walmart Reunited the Mean Girls Cast for Its Black Friday Ads
Reality-Bending Car Ads
CarGurus Ad Features Melting Lego and Gourmet Chef Toddlers
Seasonal Halloween Marketing Promotions
Welch's Fruit Snacks Unveils its MVP Goals for Halloween
Hard-To-Read Health Campaigns
A Specsavers Campaign Encourages Movie-Goers to Check their Sight
Movie-Inspired Halloween Menus
Burger King Unveils the Haunting Addams Family-Inspired Menu
AI Email Marketing Campaigns
Emotsy Creates Personalized Campaigns for Stronger Digital Connection
Advanced Printing Techniques
BrandMyDispo Has Introduced Printing Techniques for Custom Mylar Bags
Influencer-Starring Car Commercials
Toyota's New Short Film Seeks to Resonate with Gen Z Customers
Bizarre Soda Campaigns
Dr Pepper's Try More Weird Disrupts Life's Boredoms with Weirdness
Fizzing Skull-Shaped Candy Products
Bebeto Super Sour Scary Skulls Come in Six Flavors
Cheeky Financial Stress-Alleviating Campaigns
HOPWTR Has Debuted a Creative Promotional Campaign
Celebrity-Backed Fragrance Ads
Axe Targets Generation Z with its New Star-Studded Campaign
Gruesome Horror Film Soaps
The Terrifier Blood & Bubbles Soap is Officially Licensed
Cheeky Candy Campaigns
This Kinder Bueno Campaign Targets Millennial and Gen Z Consumers
Frighteningly Festive Candy Products
These New Bazooka Candy Brands Halloween Products are Tasty
Short Film-Inspired Ads
Apple’s New ‘The Underdogs’ Ad Features Various Apple Products
Cult-Favorite Horror Film Celebrations
MPI Media & MoMA Celebrate The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Mango-Scented Newspaper Ads
Swiggy Instamart Launched a Scented Campaign in the Times of India
Halloween Carbonated Drink Packaging
Tango and 7UP's Two-Litre Packs Get a Spooky Redesign
Seasonal Halloween Lifestyle Products
Bath & Body Works is Debuting its Halloween Collection Early
Contemporary Classic Horror Games
Still Wakes the Deep Immerses Players in a Scary Game
Food-Inspired Costume Contests
Kraft Natural Cheese Centers Its Grated Parmesan for Halloween
Spooky Halloween-Themed Sodas
These JONES Halloween Sodas Come in Three Options
Halloween-Inspired Retail Capsules
Target Debuts a New Private-Label Halloween Capsule for October
Comedic Groundhog Day Campaigns
Lay's Flavor for Days Campaign Taps into Groundhog Day
Comforting QSR Menu Promotions
Popeyes Sunday Scaries Menu Supports Students and Professionals
Creepy Autumnal Snack Packaging
Walkers Halloween Packs Transform Classic Snacks
Engaging Customer Conversion Tools
FacePop Humanizes Customer Interactions Through Video
Classic Ad Campaign Revivals
Seagram's 7 Crown is Reviving Old Ads for Its New Campaign
Spooky Popcorn Snack Kits
The Popcorn Kitchen Scary Eyes Home Popping Kit Has Chocolate Eyeballs
Subtle Marketing Pop-Ups
FOMO Nudge Encourages Users to Buy with Subtle Pop-Ups
Grocery Store Ad Spots
Morrisons, the UK Supermarket Chain, Celebrates Its Low Pricing in This Ad
Frightening Cinema Festivals
UK FrightFest is Expanding its Special Halloween Event in London
Monster-Detailed Custom Meal Boxes
McDonald's Brings Back the Boo Buckets for Halloween
Haunting Tech Safety PSAs
The Canadian Centre for Child Protection Releases 'The Horse'
Blood Center Campaigns
Markham Yard Releases the Blood Center Campaign to Inspire Donations