In the amusement park category, Halloween is bigger than the Super Bowl. It’s an essential time for parks to win share of heart, and more importantly, share of scare. Six Flags Entertainment Corporation faced a challenge: despite hosting one of the most thrilling Halloween experiences available, they had yet to claim their rightful place in the seasonal landscape.

To solidify Six Flags parks as ultimate Halloween destinations, we had to go big, we had to go scary, and we had to do it in three weeks. So we crafted a short film to showcase the spine-chilling intensity and reshape how amusement parks engage with audiences during spooky season. 

Our multi-layered media strategy began with :06 teasers, a :15 trailer, and a movie poster that teased the film across paid and organic platforms. These drove to a dedicated YouTube page where viewers immersed themselves in our centerpiece: a 5:40 horror film, designed not just to engage, but to entertain and terrify. 

Our biggest hurdle was a misconception that Halloween at Six Flags wasn’t all that scary. Our primary KPI, then, was to change that perception. Our creative execution brought the terror with a seasoned horror film director, an Emmy-winning makeup artist, and a tested creature actor to ensure Hollywood-worthy scares. The plot was structured around a clear motivation for our Clown: abandon movies and gaming in favor of the one-of-a-kind park experience. 

The result was renewed engagement and enhanced credibility for our client, substantiating their leading role in Halloween. Trailers reached a click-through rate of 3%, six times higher than benchmark. The comments showed a higher net sentiment than any video the brand has posted. Purely organic branding throughout made the season pass an intrinsic element of the plot, increasing recall. And the film received accolades such as Ad Age Editor’s Pick, Adweek Editor’s Pick, and The Drum’s Scariest Ad of All Time. 

Ultimately, the brand was able to reclaim a place of authority among Halloween greats, so guests never again need to wonder whether they’re in for a fright at Six Flags.