Until recently, the concept of trusted household name brands like Heinz, Columbia, and Burger King using creep-out marketing tactics was unfathomable. But it’s 2025 and, like most things the old guard said would never come to pass, we’re seeing legacy brands dip their toes in subversive waters once relegated to campaigns from niche startups. From Heinz ketchup’s macabre take on the old milk mustache trope featuring Joker-like “Heinz Smiles” to Gushers “Fruithead” video series, we’re seeing an unprecedented level of subversive and scary brand marketing.
Let’s look at the factors driving retail’s shift to the macabre, the brands doing it right, and how to roll out creepy marketing without alienating your consumer base.
Generation Z seeks out unpolished emotional experiences from brands, but the same subversive societal critiques that pique next gen’s interest may alienate traditional consumers.
A Shot of Adrenaline to Customers’ Wallets
Creep-out marketing tactics draw upon emotions that cut through the noise of the oversaturated retail landscape. This year, brands realized that there’s sound psychology behind creep-out marketing, which is why brands we’d never expect are now taking big risks with creepy visuals that would’ve alienated our predecessors. I recently covered the overwhelm next gens face when they encounter overstimulating physical and digital retail spaces and how low-stimuli spaces can help next gens feel comfortable in stores. Creep-out marketing cuts through overwhelm in a different way: by stimulating consumers’ emotions.
Have you ever heard the saying “no publicity is bad publicity?” This theory may no longer have legs in light of today’s political unrest. But could this theory hold true in terms of evoking consumer emotion? Is no emotion a bad emotion when it comes to evoking consumers’ intent to purchase? People don’t forget what makes them feel, whether it’s through tender moments or making them fear for their lives for a split second. The Harvard Business Review described our attraction to horror themes, saying, “Exposure to terrifying acts, or even the anticipation of those acts, can stimulate us (. . .) Fright can trigger the release of adrenaline, resulting in heightened sensations and surging energy.”
And brands are catching on. Unsettling ads permeated every aesthetically driven retail sector in 2025, from fashion, skincare and food to software solutions, consumer packaged goods and the resurgence of wrought iron in home décor.
The Goth Aesthetic Reigns Again
Fashion responds to the zeitgeist of the times, and creep-out marketing is emerging in a time when gothic fashion is coming back with a bang, reflecting society’s reaction to an imbalanced economy and political unrest. The goth aesthetic emerged on the tail end of a period of unemployment and economic uncertainty in the late 70s in Britain, when youth turned to a dark aesthetic to express their inner turmoil. The 2007-2009 recession brought new life to goth fashion; black clothing and smudged eye makeup became the norm.
Last year, Vogue said it’s “Showtime for the Goth Revival.” This year, Coveteur asked why beauty has become so unsettling. Many journalists point to the goth aesthetic as a recession indicator. While the correlation is somewhat tongue-in-cheek, parallels abound between the current economic and political climates and those preceding past crises. Perhaps most notably, financial Reporter Andrew Ross Sorkin spoke to Vanity Fair about the parallels between the economy in 1929 before the Great Depression and the global financial climate today. Once again, consumers are aesthetically and emotionally drawn to the macabre and smart brands across verticals are already heeding the call.
What could be more indicative of the Gothic revival than its influence on CPG goods and software? Enter the Halloween-themed “Fruithead” horror film from Gushers and Yahoo Mail’s “Reply All Is Scary” ad. Even sportswear brands like Columbia are taking a walk on the dark side. As part of its “engineered for whatever” campaign, Columbia came out with a Death Wishes line with a “Last Will and Testament” sewn into each piece. The cheeky slogan of “Columbia makes its gear so tough it could outlive you” and a Grim Reaper character, @Reaper_1938 on TikTok and Instagram, topped off the campaign.
Creep-Out Marketing Cuts Through Conformity
Generation Z seeks out unpolished emotional experiences from brands, but the same subversive societal critiques that pique next gen’s interest may alienate traditional consumers. Take this ad called “Periodic Fable” from millennial skincare brand, The Ordinary. While some say the ad responds to the perfectionism of the beauty industry, others maintain that it critiques buzzy skincare lines that don’t perform as promised. The actors in the ad uniformly tap their strangely contorted faces as they repeat skincare buzzwords in tandem. But this creepy ad, created in partnership with Uncommon Creative Studio has inspired discussion way beyond the Halloween ad push.
The creep-out trend is a sharp departure from the days when brands simply hired attractive celebrities to apply their products in slow motion outdoors. Together with the goth revival, creep-out marketing tactics will continue in 2026. However, just like there are numerous subversive subcultures that fall under the goth umbrella: steampunk, cybergoth, gothabilly––brands using creep-out marketing tactics will need to find the unique approach that resonates with their customer base.
There’s a disparity in how consumers respond to creepy tropes, with younger audiences (18-24) responding most favorably to horror tropes. Consumer data is brands’ guiding star when determining whether creep-out marketing initiatives will resonate with their customers. Brands with a significant segment of mature consumers might opt for the more kitsch side of creepy, like Columbia’s “Grim Reaper” character. Others will aim to mesmerize consumers with an eerie horror art film they’ll never forget, à la The Ordinary. Overstimulated customers need a strong sensory reboot, and creep-out marketing provides them with just that. So, going into 2026, there’s no question about it: from apparel to software and CPG, something wicked this way comes.
