Don't be afraid of advertising around horror films

The first showing of Dracula in New York's Roxy Theatre in 1931 entranced audiences. 

A review in The New York Times called it a "blood-curdling delight", and cinemagoers instantaneously rose to their feet to applaud the fleeing of Bela Lugosi's titular character when Dracula is shown the small crucifix of Dr. Van Helsing.

The horror genre has become a mainstay of cinema screens, attracting some of the most historic moments in cinema history.

Nearly 100 years later, the horror genre has become a mainstay of cinema screens, attracting some of the most historic moments in cinema history. Think of the shower scene in Hitchcock's Psycho, the terrifying discovery of Mike in the corner of the house in The Blair Witch Project, or the possessed Regan’s sacrilegious act with the crucifix in The Exorcist.

Above: Bela Lugosi as Dracula in the 1931 film was a "blood-curdling delight" with cinemagoers. 

Horror has always been popular with younger generations but, recently, it’s had a renaissance amongst 18-24-year-old cinemagoers, fuelled by independent studios and bright new industry creatives who are revolutionising the genre.

Horror is a unique and complex genre that offers fantastic opportunities for brands to easily access Gen Z audiences.

It may come as a surprise just how much horror films are favoured with Gen Z. Interestingly, our Film Monitor data tells us that horror titles can provide a higher 16-34 profile than a Love Island final, yet the advertising spots for the former often aren’t nearly as in demand.

Brands can often be hesitant about being associated with a horror film, but those brands need not be so scared. Horror is a unique and complex genre that offers fantastic opportunities for brands to easily access Gen Z audiences via advertising and partnerships - as long as they’re willing to take the leap into the darkness.

Above: Beavertown Brewery embraced horror with their Flightmare campaign. 

Terrifyingly effective

Research from the University of British Columbia showed that viewers experiencing intense feelings of being scared and isolated in the cinema raised their engagement levels and ability to recall brands featured on screen. 

With cinema advertising being proven to have consistently higher levels of memory and personal engagement than other mediums, it’s a heady combination to associate your brand with a horror film, and a surefire way of capturing the attention of a young, savvy demographic. Horror fans are also more likely to enjoy adventures and thrill-seeking as part of their daily lives, which additionally makes them open-minded for new products or trends.

Brands have been slow to take advantage of cinema advertising with horror films.

Up until recently, brands have been slow to take advantage of cinema advertising with horror films. However last year, Beavertown Brewery, renowned for innovative and disruptive marketing, appeared in premium positions with Saw X and The Exorcist: Believer. 

The creative riffed off Halloween, with a three-minute animated film, Flightmare, and graphic novel depicting a series of horrifying and unfortunate events as the story's hero flies to ‘World’s End International’. Of course, Halloween offers an easy entry into referencing horror films every October, but horror isn’t just for Halloween and brands should feel empowered to take advantage of it year round.

Above: Phones4U took inspiration from Ring for its 2015 campaign. 

However, brands do sometimes successfully embrace the horror genre. Who remembers the Ring-inspired Phones4U advert? It followed a terrified shopper trying to avoid a scary, long-haired, pale-faced girl popping up in an underground car park on the way back to her car. 

Once inside, and seemingly safe, the camera suddenly jumps to the girl, whose face is now pressed up against the window, before she whispers the deal audiences can get on their mobile. 

Brands do sometimes successfully embrace the horror genre.

The advertisement, and the ad's tagline, 'Missing our deals will haunt you', shows how the company used an audience’s familiarity with a well-known horror film to their advantage - adding a surprise twist and ensuring viewers were left with that all-important thrill that they associate with the horror genre.

Other brands have chosen to lean into the comedic side of horror, such as Heinz with their Vegetarian Vampire advertising campaign which used the genre to parody its product to great effect.