What can brands learn from the horror genre?

Last week, I went to watch A24’s Heretic – which left me drenched in sweat, I’ll let you decide if you take that as a positive recommendation, or not. It got me thinking about horror as a genre and how it has, is or could influence its neighbouring creative industries.

I did a bit of digging, and here are 4 links to be inspired by (and perhaps creative lessons to learn) from Horror…

1. Sound connects

What’s a horror film without the score? The eerie strings of Psycho, the creeping heartbeat of Jaws, or the haunting piano of Halloween. When you remove the score, the spell breaks – even the most terrifying scene now feels silly.

Looking at the Stranger Things type below, the audio-visual connection is so strong I can hear the synthy opening track loud and clear. It’s been embedded into my brain as part of the story.

Everyone is obsessed with motion branding, but what about giving sonic some love? Whether it’s an ear-worm jingle, vibey soundscapes or a carefully crafted playlist: consider how sound could make your story unforgettable.

Interview with Stranger Things composers

Images: Stranger Things opening credits | Jaws Poster | Soho House’s Morning, Noon Night LP

2. Conviction, not consensus

Comparatively, horror films have modest budgets – they don’t need universally appealing bells and whistles: household names, expansive sets or tonnes of travel. They rely on an interesting hook and creative conviction. Yet, despite the low investment and off-beat concepts, horror consistently outperforms other genres in profitability. The fans are loyal in ways most genres can’t match. It emotionally and physically moves them – heading to cinemas for the full, communal experience in an era where even the most hyped productions struggle to get bums in seats.

Unlike glossy blockbusters, horror doesn’t aim to please everyone. They don’t care that your granddad doesn’t get it or that mums ban their tweens from watching it. They are not tempted to water down ideas to earn mass appeal. Weird = Good.

Perhaps we too should focus more on the niche, commit to the bit with our community, lean into our quirks and let weirdness become the aim.

Weirdest 80’s Horror book covers

images: FANGS by William Dobson | Realm rebrand by Mother | Netflix promo for Wednesday

 

3. Go big or go home

Some say the best art is a mirror, it does not give answers, but provokes thought and prompts viewers to connect the dots. Horrors get this, audiences do not turn up just for immediate experience – but for the ideas that stick with them long after.

Alexander McQueen famously brought macabre into fashion – yet, he was no rebel without cause. His legacy grapples with life’s biggest questions – identity, mortality and beauty’s dark edges. He trusted his audience to engage with the depth of his ideas and challenged them to think, feel and interpret.

Recently, A24 has been serving us cinema that not only haunts because of the plot, but because of the bold, cerebral executions. Midsommar’s daylight-drenched aesthetic defied the shadowy tropes of horror, creating an unsettling beauty that asked bigger questions. It dares to let silences linger, moments stretch and trusts the audience to stay with it.

The creative lesson? Your audience isn’t made up of idiots – they want to be challenged. Bold ideas may feel risky, but they’re the ones that resonate with people the longest.

↗ Alexander McQueen’s fantastical moments

images: Alexander Mcqueen spring/summer 1999 | Midsommer, 2019

4. Camp is clever

The overlaps between camp and horror are not immediately obvious, but are vast and emotive: fantasy, archetypes, drama, sub-culture, surprise, subversion, exaggerations.

Archetypes get a bad rep, but genres like camp and horror flip them on their heads. They use them knowingly to reward the viewer for understanding the cultural reference points, toying with expectations. It brings audiences into a club, declares ‘I see what you see’ and creates a more intimate connection.

Humour, playfulness and satire take skill – a skill that is constantly undervalued by the arts, but one that most creative endeavours benefit from.

Nike Ambush Campaign

images: Sabrina Carpenter, Feather music video 2024 | Jennifer’s Body | Shaun of the dead

Have you seen any great creative inspired by horror? Or, what are your favourite visual tropes? We’d love to know.