Ads, Marketing, and Horror

Why horror sells, sells, sells

Sometimes, the scariest thing to watch isn’t a movie or TV show – it’s an ad. We’ve all experienced the dread of the YouTube video we’re watching not having a skippable ad, or the movie we’ve been sucked into breaking us out of immersion because of an ad break. But what if I told you that some commercials have been made to be intentionally scary?

In fact, horror has served marketing teams well. When facing the consumer with fear and mystery, it causes audiences to be far more intrigued with a product or service than any old celebrity endorsement. There’s more substance to an ad when it feels like there’s a sense of dread–people want to know why you’re scaring them and what you could possibly be advertising with such an approach.

Now, in 2025 especially, your ads have to be eye-catching. Celebrities and silly jokes don’t cut it like they used to, tasking marketers with a new challenge to attract customers. With that, why not try fear?

Embracing Fear

PlayStation 3 – Creepy Baby Commercial

In 2006, Sony dropped a strange and unusual commercial to promote the PlayStation 3–one that shocked everyone, and one that felt more like a short horror film than an ad for a video game console.

In just 30 seconds, the ad unsettles the audience. It takes place in a sterile, stark white room. There’s no music, no voice-over, or even any actors–it all takes place mostly in silence. In the center of the room is a baby doll and a PlayStation 3, sitting across from one another like they’re facing off to kill each other.

The baby doll cries, laughs, and moves around in unsettling ways before the PS3 levitates in a weird power move. The message they were trying to convey is lost on the audience, mostly because this feels like a deleted scene from Toy Story.

While not explicitly horror-themed, the tone of the ad certainly left audiences checking under the beds to make sure there wasn’t a creepy baby doll waiting for them. Over on YouTube, the comments say everything:

“Thanks, I didn’t need to sleep tonight anyway.”

“Yeah, this definitely makes me want a PlayStation.”

“Were they on drugs when they made this?”

Baby dolls are already creepy on their own, so Sony wasn’t exactly playing it safe. But what was this commercial even trying to say in the first place?

Most theories suggest that this is meant to be the older generation of toys meeting the new generation of toys. Kids aren’t playing with baby dolls anymore, they’re playing with gaming consoles.

The baby doll acts in sorrow and awe, sad that it's being replaced but impressed by the technology. The PS3 is the new, shiny toy that ranks superior, which is why it’s depicted as the “higher” being.

It’s too artsy and too abstract, basically. Like most ads that lean too far into art film, audiences feel alienated and confused because they can’t understand the “genius” of the director. I’m not saying this isn’t a cool commercial, just that it probably wasn’t the best way to sell a PlayStation.

At least… not in the way Sony hoped. The commercial left an impression on its viewers, still remembered today as one of the creepiest ads to exist. It was bold, that much is for sure.

Why it Worked (And Why it Didn’t):

• Abstract Nightmares: The abstract nature of this commercial made for a confused audience. It didn’t touch on any of the features of the PS3, rather it crafted an uncomfortable environment and alienated viewers. On the other hand, this abstractness made it unforgettable, playing in people’s heads for years to come.

• Targeting Curiosity: The bizarre visuals of this ad piqued curiosity in people. It’s mysterious, unconventional, and overall creepy–people wanted to know more about why. It caused people to share the ad, sparking conversations amongst one another. While the ad lacked a call to action, it certainly caused action.

• Brand Identity: Like Xbox, PlayStation branded itself as futuristic. Both companies leaned heavily into the “new gen” concept of their consoles, having striking visuals for everything they created. This ad helped PlayStation separate itself from Xbox by being the “edgy” and “creepy” sibling.

While it was artsy, the ad itself didn’t really land with most viewers. Sure, it gave them nightmares, but it didn’t really make people want a PS3. Or maybe it did… plenty of people bought the console.

Little Baby’s Ice Cream – “This is a Special Time” Commercial

Have you ever watched a fast food commercial and craved a burger? Those Hardee's ads work overtime trying to create the perfect, appetizing angle of their signature hamburgers. They make sure their burger looks juicy, stacked with fresh veggies, all sandwiched in an aesthetically pleasing bun. It’s an art to make food look as delicious as possible in ads–no, really, they’re called food stylists.

In the case of Little Baby’s Ice Cream, they did not, in fact, make the food look as appetizing as possible.

If you’ve been around the internet long enough, chances are you’ve seen this commercial. If not, I’m about to shatter your innocence.

The ad features a man covered in white goo, which is revealed to be ice cream. He stares at the camera as he scoops ice cream out of his own head, with whispers bouncing back and forth about the tastiness of Little Baby’s Ice Cream. Oh, and there’s creepy music in the background too.

Why it Worked (And Why it Didn’t):

• Shock Factor: Leaning heavily into the uncanny valley, this ad made it its mission to make the audience uncomfortable. Horror thrives in such an environment, the ad being unforgettable because of the nightmares it created.

• Memorable… but Appetizing?: This ad went viral back in 2012 because of the weird and eerie feeling it gave people. It became sort of a meme to show it to an unsuspecting friend and watch their reaction, but it never really made anybody want ice cream. Actually, it probably had the opposite effect.

• Brand Identity: The ad definitely solidified Little Baby’s Ice Cream’s identity. They were known for off-the-wall flavors, CBD fusions, and their quirky personality. This is the same shop that had pizza flavored ice cream and offered CBD-infused ice cream, after all. When you take a look at their offerings, the ad actually makes perfect sense.

There was actually a series of weird ads from Little Baby’s Ice Cream. Unfortunately, the campaign didn’t seem to help, as they closed down in 2019.

Autoway Tires – The Scariest Commercial Ever Made

Driving at night can be an eerie experience sometimes. It’s hard not to think about a cryptid jumping into the road or seeing an alien in the sky. Autoway Tires took that dread and went full force with it.

Usually, tire commercials focus on durability, grip, and performance. Autoway Tires, however, chose to terrify viewers instead of enticing them into buying a new set of wheels.

The ad opens with a warning–yes, a warning–before jumping into a shot of a snowy drive at night. It’s dashcam footage, almost reminiscent of Local 58, and seems relatively peaceful. For a moment, all is normal. That is, until the car lurches forward and is met with a pale figure in the headlights.

Out of nowhere, the ghost jumps toward the screen, giving viewers the scare of their life. And, just like any person would in this situation, the driver backs up and speeds away to get away from whatever the hell it was they hit.

Smart guy.

Why it Worked (Why it Didn’t):

• It Actually Makes Sense: This is one of the few horror ads that actually make sense for its product. The ad showcases the tires durability and grip, as they’re able to help the protagonist drive away without any sliding. Although the ad is scary, it’s able to effectively communicate why customers should buy Autoway’s tires rather than any competitors.

• Viral Hit: Because of the ad’s crazy shock factor and J-horror inspiration, it became a popular video all over the world. At one point, it became an extremely popular ad to react to for YouTube, as people found fun in watching others have their socks scared off of them. It was insane publicity for Autoway, the ad instantly becoming a marketing win for the team.

• Risk Factor: Although it ultimately worked out for Autoway, there was a major risk with going for this ad. Horror isn’t everybody’s cup of tea, so it’s not hard to imagine that there may have been some negative pushback. For some people, it probably left a bad taste in their mouth with the brand.

Taking risks can go a number of ways, but Autoway Tires thrived in creating a horrifying ad that haunts people even to this day.

GEICO Insurance – Horror Movie Cliches

Horror-themed commercials are expected to usually be scary, but GEICO wanted to go another route. Considering the nature of GEICO’s services, it makes sense they wanted to reach a wider audience. They want to seem funny and approachable, as their brand identity is built on being the “easy-going” insurance–I mean, their mascot is a smooth-talking gecko, after all.

So, it wasn’t surprising that they went with a more humorous horror ad.

Have you ever watched a slasher movie and screamed at the characters for being absolute idiots? “Why are you hiding under the bed?” “Why did you only shoot him once?” “Why aren’t you turning the lights on?”

GEICO took those pesky horror cliches and poked fun at the silly mistakes we see in our favorite slasher movies. The ad starts with a group of teens running away from a killer, faced with the decision of getting into a running car or hiding behind a wall of chainsaws. They pick the wall of chainsaws, naturally.

At the end of the commercial, a narrator says: “If you’re in a horror movie, you make poor decisions. It’s what you do. If you want to save money, you switch to GEICO. It’s what you do.”

Certainly, it’s a fun and memorable commercial.

Why it Worked (Why it Didn’t):

• Playfulness: GEICO tapped into the horror tropes that everyone knows, making it a funny and relatable commercial for a broader audience. By tapping into this, they’re able to reach a market outside of those looking for insurance.

• Mass Appeal: Unlike the other ads listed, this commercial is able to use horror as their main theme without alienating viewers by scaring them. It’s able to bring together both horror fans and general audiences.

• Not Really Connected: Although the ad is entertaining, it doesn’t really highlight what it’s advertising. The connection between horror tropes and car insurance is loose, especially when they try to tie it together at the end of the commercial.

GEICO’s parody proved to audiences that horror doesn’t always have to be scary–it can make us laugh too.

Conclusion

Marketing can sometimes get stale, but when companies implement horror into their campaigns, they can create a lot more chatter. They can be scary, funny, abstract–there’s a lot you can do with horror when it comes to marketing.

Although most companies typically save these types of campaigns for the Halloween season, I’d love to see more horror-like ads instead of the same old, same old.

Do you have any favorite horror-themed commercials or ad campaigns that come to mind? I’d love to see some more!