These frightful marketing techniques are some clever examples of how images of violence or simply scary references can easily capture the attention and gaze of potential viewers.
With the amount of advertisements and print ads that people see on a regular basis, PSAs and commercials are most often dismissed and forgotten about. These frightful marketing techniques however, have creatively utilized tactics that will scare and frighten viewers into remembering their message or product. From violent vehicle campaigns that boldly showcase passengers getting injured by cars to ads that feature creepy dolls and faceless characters, these frightful marketing techniques are sure to make an impression with their eerie and unsettling themes.
Sure to attract horror fanatics or simply those intrigued by scary themes, these frightful marketing techniques will definitely make viewers remember these ads for a long time to come.
55 Frightful Marketing Techniques
From Event-Promoting Horror Videos to Wide-Eye Toy Campaigns:
Tana Makmanee — Oct 11, 2013 — Marketing
55
Beautifully Sinister Photography
Wie Es Euch Gefallt by Carsten Witte is Mysterious and Moody
54
Child-Frightening Toy Ads
The Limited Edition Collectible Toys Campaign is Not Geared Towards Kids
53
Banned Shockvertisements
Overly-Morbid Print Ads
52
Role Reversal Shockvertising
'Humans for Animals' Creates an Alarming Campaign
51
Banned Gaming Posters
PlayStation Move Ad Throws a Few Too Many Punches for the Public Eye
50
Violent Car Campaigns
The Lamborghini Aventador 2011 Ads Have an Agressive Message
49
Monster-Full Fashion Ads
The Mulberry Fall 2012 Campaign is Entirely Enchanting
48
Interactive Anti-Blemish Ads
Peel-Off Zits & Cellulite You Can Pop
47
Horrorvertising
Burger King's ‘Open Late' Campaign Caters to Scary Villains
46
Ghostly Fading Health Campaigns
These Truth Anti-Smoking Ads Shine a Light on Mortality
45
Ghostly Presence Prints
This Perdigao Campaign Promotes Meals of Deceased Granny's Standard
44
Gory Toy Campaigns
The Caritas Ad Campaign Warns Parents of Violent Playthings
43
Blindfolded Victim Ads
The Instituto Crianca Nosso Futuro Campaign Focuses on False Promises
42
Murderous Meal Ads
Danio by Danone Campaign Kills Your Hunger with its Food Products
41
Perforated Portrait Ads
The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Campaign Advocates a Cure
40
Violent Darwinian Robo Art
"Evolution of Technology" by Saturn Electronics
39
Voyeurvertising
Kia Soul Ad Campaign Gives Mobsters a Sneak Peek Inside
38
Shushing Blowdryer Ads
The Philips ActiveCare 2300 Hairdryer Campaign Lulls Babies to Sleep
37
Wide-Eye Toy Campaigns
The BIC Alcaline Battery Ads are Intense
36
Accident Prevention Campaigns
The New Kia Advertisement Warns Viewers About Distracted Driving
35
Blood-Sucking Smoking Ads
The 'Mask' Campaign Discourage Smoking Through Dracula-Like Smokes
34
Barbaric Furniture Ads
The Connect Furniture Print Ads Show People Why They Need Furniture
33
Violent Movie Promotions
More 'Terminator Salvation' Artwork Hits the Web
32
Violent Pinata Ads
Pluton Advertising Agency Encourages You to Beat Up Winter
31
Villainous Vampiric Ads
This Tabard Mosquito Repellant Campaign Features Serious Blood Suckers
30
Lost Literary Characters
The Micromax Mobile Ad Campaign Shows You Will Never Go Astray
29
Humane Pest Prevention Ads
The Electromagnetic Rodent Repellent is Cruelty-Free
28
Frightening Food Safety Ads
Parents and Kids Should watch Out for the Scorpion in the Burger
27
Scary Surgical Utensils
Toronto East General Hospital Ads Promote Express Expansion Goals
26
Frightening Facial Hair Ads
The Newest Movember Ad Features David and his Creepy Mustache
25
Violence-Perpetuating Ads
The Convivencia Sin Violencia Campaign Urges People to Stop the Cycle
24
Alleyway Attack Ads
The World Asthma Foundation Campaign Shows That the Disease Can Hit Anytime
23
Scary Listening Promos
BBC Radio Science Fiction Ad Scares You Into Listening
22
Frightening Flashlight Faces
Relive Your Childhood Fears Campaign is Inspired by Campfire Tales
21
Violent Lawn Campaigns
The Stihl Viking Ads Seem to Have a Rather Violent Ending
20
Ghostly Donor Campaigns
The France Adot 2011 Ads Celebrate and Thank Organ Donors
19
Horrific Porcelain Ads
The Profondo Rosso Campaign is Shockingly Gory
18
Disturbing Explosive Commercials
The Denmark Against Landmines 'Picnic Gone Wrong' Ad is Scary
17
Uncovering Alcoholism
These PSA Ads Reveal The Ugly Reality
16
Frightened Profile Update Ads
The SOS Violence Conjugale Campaign Sheds Awareness on Spousal Abuse
15
Scary Sci-Fi Prequel Promos
The Ridley Scott 'Prometheus' Trailer has Many 'Alien' References
14
Devilish Vacuum Commercials
The Dirt Devil Exorcist Ad is Freakishly Funny
13
Pizza Delivery Adventures
The Hell Pizza 'Deliver Me to Hell' Advertisement is Explosive
12
Gun-Toting Violence PSAs
The YouTube 'Gun Safety Gone Wrong' Film Fires in all the Right Ways
11
Deadly Automotive Ads
The Banned Smart Ad Will Have You Scared of Your Backseat
10
Monstrous Pimple Ads
The Oatmeal Spot Clear Ad Campaign Shows What People See When They Have a Zit
9
Spinning Perspective Ads
The Mercedes-Benz 4MATIC Campaign Depicts Being Out of Control
8
Sensually Violent Smartphone Ads
Blackberry's 'Two Scoops' Ad was Directed by Robert Rodriguez
7
Frightening Illness Ads
'The Bear' HIV Prevention Commercial Shows the Masked Qualities of HIV
6
Event-Promoting Horror Videos
Portfolio Night Could be as Scary as the Terrifying Promo Vid
5
Apparition Aroma Ads
The Electra Chef Campaign Sheds Light on Odor Haunted Homes
4
Spooky Jet-Black Brews
The Market Store Gives Guinness a Holiday Makeover
3
Violent PC-Human Relationships
Make-Up Courses to Promote Sports
2
Monstrous Fashion Campaign Videos
The 'Monsters Inc.' Fall Fashion Video is Truly Strange
1
Ghostly Porcelain Figurine Ads
The Fevikwik Instant Adhesive Campaign has a Supernatural Streak
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AI-Driven Dreamy Fashion Campaigns
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Playful Pet Accident Campaigns
IKEA Unveils the Don't Worry, You Can Afford It Campaign
AI-Generated Art Challenges
The KFC x Fiiiiiingers Rewarded Fans for Creating Images with AI
Aggressive Athlete Ads
Nike Launches the Winning Isn’t for Everyone Campaign
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-Ready Animatronic Line-Ups
HalloweenCostumes.com Debuted Its 2024 Halloween Animatronics
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
Cleverly-Disguised Fountain Cups
Pepsi's Latest Campaign Stunt Introduced 'Undercover Cups'
AI-Lead Car Ads
Ford Launched an AI Campaign Dubbed 'Be Surreal, Be Ford'
Halloween-Inspired Pretzel Campaigns
Snyder’s of Hanover Debuts the 'Pretzelface' Campaign
Clear In-Game Billboard Advertisements
SCS Software's Truck Simulator Uses Real-Life Advertising
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
Ketchup Dispenser Billboards
'Smack for Heinz' Helps Fans Complete Meals with a Favorite Condiment
Athlete-Backed Shoe Campaigns
Nike Released Awaken Your Madness with International Soccer Players
Horror-Creature-Inspired Footwear Capsules
Reebok Unveiled a Universal Monsters Collection
Naturalistic Taco Stand Campaigns
Coca-Cola Launched a Street Photography Campaign in Norway
AI Movie Poster Generators
AI Movie Poster Generator Creates Impactful Promotional Materials
Mental-Health Awareness QSR Packaging
McDonald's Alters Its Happy Meal Boxes for Mental Health
In-Game Billboard Advertising
Gameloft Enables Partners to Advertise Natively in its Games
Purposeful Consumer-Focused Campaigns
IKEA's Sleepfluencers Campaign is a Clever Way to Give Back
Hug-Activated Marketing Machines
UNIQLO France and The Pull Launch the Hug to Unlock Ad
Employee Fragrance Campaigns
Lidl's Fragrance Campaign Features Local Talent with Celebrity Names
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
Spooky TV Series Dolls
Mattel Released a New Wednesday Addams Collection
Curious Whiskey Campaigns
Four Roses' Don't Mention It Campaign Targets Younger Whiskey Drinkers
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 AR Yogurt Packaging
Chobani Unveiled Interactive Special Edition Halloween Packaging
Sensorial Horror-Inspired Hard Ciders
Angry Orchard Introduced its Hide & Shriek Prank Pack
Eerie Film-Based Deodorant Campaigns
Secret Deodorant Debuts a Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Commercial
Marketer-Targeted Cereal Ads
Surreal's Out-of-Home Campaign Speaks to Marketers, Not Consumers
Cosmetic Criminal Commercials
Elf's Cosmetic Criminals Ad is a 15-Minute True Crime Parody
Multichannel Retail Campaigns
Urban Outfitters' 'Happy Lolidays' Campaign is Engaging
Influencer-Inspired Ads
Tomcat's Ad Shows an Influencer Mouse with a Fatal Unboxing Twist
Horror Film-Inspired Footwear
A New Collection of Horrific Crocs Celebrates Halloween Ahead
Spooky Mashup Mayos
Heinz [Scarily] Good Monster Munch Mayo Features a Pickled Onion Flavor
Provocative Guerrilla Campaigns
Jewelry Brand MWCurated Uses Fake Infidelity Flyers for Marketing
Quirky Athlete-Centric Mayo Campaigns
Hellmann's New 'Mayotivations Campaign' Features Will Levis
Horror-Inspired Holiday Capsules
HUGO x Tim Burton Debut The Nightmare Before Christmas Merch
Gen Z-Influenced Marketing Campaigns
Kraft Heinz is Studying Gen Z's Preferences with New Launches
Child-Friendly Camera Concepts
The Camera for Kids Concept Reimagines the Digital Camera
Scented Fast Food Billboards
McDonald's Set Up a French Fry-Scented Billboard
Adventurous Roadtrip Retail Campaigns
The Pilot Flying J 'See You Out Here' Campaign is Relatable
Smart Shopping Cart Ads
Instacart Unveiled Ads for Its AI-Powered Caper Carts
Shoppable CPG Ads
Instacart-Powered Shoppable Video Ads are Coming to YouTube
Neighborhood-Inspired Campaigns
Kotn's F/W 2024 Collection is Released with a Witty Short-Film
Confetti-Filled Snacking Commercials
Frito-Lay Launches the Taste of Super Bowl Campaign
Spooky Cartoon Beauty Capsules
Mad Beauty Unveils a Beetlejuice-Inspired Collection
Cancer Awareness CPG Packaging
This Unilever Pink Packaging Marks Breast Cancer Awareness
AR Glow-in-the-Dark Wines
19 Crimes and Universal Products & Experiences Debuted a Halloween Wine
Immersive Virtual Pop-Ups
Benefit Launches Virtual 'Benemart' Concept for Holiday Shopping
AI-Powered Marketing Tools
This E-Commerce Tool Uses Customer Data to Project Reward Impacts
Anthropomorphic Store Campaigns
IKEA's Short Social Films Promote Its Click-and-Collect Service
Charming Christmas Advertisements
Sainsbury’s Christmas Ad 2024 Evokes Childhood Nostalgia
Candy-Themed Doorbell Promotions
M&M’S and Ring Partnered to Provide Tricks to Trick-or-Treaters
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
Seasonal Character Mashup Cereals
Monsters Frightful Friends Cereal Has Four Flavors in One Box
Mindful-Shopping Campaigns
The Ordinary’s 'Slovember' Campaign Promotes Intentional Shopping
Co-Branded Custom Ads
Lexus and Universal Pictures Partner for the 'Experience OZmazing' Spot
Mid-20th-Century Holiday Campaigns
Saks Fifth Avenue Unveiled its 'Gifts of Delight' Campaign
Spooky Slider Packaging
White Castle Unleashed Limited-Edition Halloween Retail Packaging
Food-Themed Holiday Campaigns
Kroger’s 2024 Holiday Campaign Celebrates Food and Connection
Cheerful Healthy Snack Campaigns
Garden Veggie Snacks' YUMbelievably Delicious is Innovative
Scream Queen Skincare Campaigns
philosophy and Sarah Michelle Gellar Partnered for a Retinol 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
All-Dark Marketing Campaigns
IKEA Introduces its Darkest Campaign Yet with Try Oslo's Help
Quirky Plant-Based Food Ads
Gosh! Food's Falafel Advertisement is Surprising
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
Spooky-Fun Fast Food Meals
HalloWEENDY's Kicked Off with New Frosty Frights Kids' Meals & Toys
Shoppable Luxury Fashion Films
Tom Ford Allows Consumers to Seamlessly Shop Its Spring 2024 RTW
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
Mystery-Style Holiday Ads
Waitrose Adds Mystery to the Festive Season with ‘Sweet Suspicion’ Ad
Travel-inspired Brand Campaigns
Michelin Launches the On the Road and Beyond! Campaign
Artistic Multi-Beverage Ads
The Coca-Cola Family is Spotlighted in this Unique Ad
Halloween-Themed Treat Boxes
The Sugar Plum Halloween Boo Box is Packed with Seasonal Sweets
Phosphorescent Energy Drink Cans
Dynami:t's Cans Glow with Neon and Superbright Effects
Living Condition Awareness Dollhouses
IKEA's UNWELCOME HOME Doll House Brings Awareness
Artful Illusory Ads
giffgaff's Large-Scale Illusion Artwork Challenges Inattentional Blindness
Anniversary-Celebrating Storytelling Ads
The Walt Disney Company Mark Marvel's 85th Anniversary
Wasteful Fashion Campaigns
Vestiaire Collective Reminded People to Shop Mindfully on Black Friday
Unsettling Mystery Action Games
Blumhouse Games' 'Fear the Spotlight' is an Engaging Eerie Story
Recycled Ad Campaigns
Mars is Reusing Fan-Favorite Ads to Bring Attention to Climate Change
Empowering Car Ads
CarMax's New Ad Campaign Takes a Witty Approach
Gamified Yogurt Tube Campaigns
The Frubes Freeze ‘Em Campaign Includes a New Online Game
Gaming Ads-Inspired Video Games
D3 Publisher and Monkeycraft Present the Ironic Those Games
Spooky Holiday Cosmetics
This wet n wild Beauty x Disney Collaboration is Arriving for Halloween
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
Allergy-Friendly Retailer Campaigns
FARE and CVS Pharmacy Partnered for the Teal Pumpkin Project
Playful QSR Campaigns
Cossette Forms the New McDonald's Campaign to Closest Restaurant
Human-Like AI Marketing Avatars
Studio Neiro Helps Scale Marketing With Engaging AI Videos
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
Skincare Investment Campaigns
Kiehl's Skin-Vestment Pairs Skincare Solutions and Financial Jargon
Frozen Pizza-Centered Campaigns
Dr. Oetker Debuts the Frozen Pizza Publicist Campaign
AI Email Marketing Campaigns
Emotsy Creates Personalized Campaigns for Stronger Digital Connection
Advanced Printing Techniques
BrandMyDispo Has Introduced Printing Techniques for Custom Mylar Bags
Hyper-Local Gym Ads
GymBox's Made for London Life Ads Juxtapose City Living and Gym-Going
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
Drone Marketing Initatives
LEGO Takes to the Sky with Drone Show and Aerial Messages
Dynamic Auto Marketing Campaigns
Hyundai Promotes Its Electrical Vehicle Line-up
Skateboarding-Inspired Ads
Vans Launched the ‘Always Pushing’ Ad Highlighting Skating Culture
Rewritten Christmas Song Ads
Burger King UK's Hijacking Christmas Will Guide You to the Drive Thru
Gruesome Horror Film Soaps
The Terrifier Blood & Bubbles Soap is Officially Licensed
Short Film-Inspired Ads
Apple’s New ‘The Underdogs’ Ad Features Various Apple Products
Stylistic Footwear Campaigns
Bata Launched its 'Make Your Way' Campaign with a Focus on Comfort
Cult-Favorite Horror Film Celebrations
MPI Media & MoMA Celebrate The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Food-Inspired Costume Contests
Kraft Natural Cheese Centers Its Grated Parmesan for Halloween
Redirected Movement Campaigns
Asics' 15MinuteWeightLoss Challenges Rapid Weight Loss Content
Halloween Carbonated Drink Packaging
Tango and 7UP's Two-Litre Packs Get a Spooky Redesign
Empowering Consumer-Centric Campaigns
Which? Launches a Festive Campaign to Empower Shoppers
Mango-Scented Newspaper Ads
Swiggy Instamart Launched a Scented Campaign in the Times of India
Contemporary Classic Horror Games
Still Wakes the Deep Immerses Players in a Scary Game
Fan Scream Symphonies
FX's Symphony of Screams Captures Real Screams to Promote Grotesquerie
Engaging Customer Conversion Tools
FacePop Humanizes Customer Interactions Through Video
Car Safety-Promoting PSAs
The Ad Council and NHTSA Have Launched a New Never Happens Campaign
Comedic Groundhog Day Campaigns
Lay's Flavor for Days Campaign Taps into Groundhog Day
Creepy Autumnal Snack Packaging
Walkers Halloween Packs Transform Classic Snacks
Gaming-Inspired Headphone Campaigns
Nazarian Films Aims to Engage a Younger Generations
Spooky Popcorn Snack Kits
The Popcorn Kitchen Scary Eyes Home Popping Kit Has Chocolate Eyeballs
Cinematic Candy Cases
These New CandyRific Character Candy Cases Celebrate a Classic Film
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