Our Director Yoni has created an undeniably creepy, get-under-your-skin TV Ad for Alton Towers to promote their highly anticipated new ride.
Alton Towers rolls out horror-themed campaign for haunted house ride. TBWA\MCR created ‘Emily just wants to play’ for Merlin Entertainments.
Watch the TV Ad here.
Alton Towers has launched a horror-themed campaign by TBWA\MCR to promote a new haunted house ride at its resort.
The campaign tells the story of Emily Alton, the only member of her family not to mysteriously disappear after a party in 1862 at Alton Manor.
Lisa Nichols, executive creative director at TBWA\MCR, said: “The Curse at Alton Manor ride gave us the opportunity to really get stuck into our favourite genre – scary movies – a gift of a brief for any creative agency.”
The campaign, “She just wants to play”, began with a countdown on social media, introducing Emily and her “warped game of hide and seek”.
An out-of-home campaign followed, including lenticular bus ads, where Emily suddenly points to passers-by as the bus moves past. These are currently running in Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool and Sheffield among other cities.
Emily will also be making an appearance in TV ads and features in a huge UV mural in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, which brings up an additional ghostly image at night.
There was also a walk-through doll’s house pop-up activation in London.
Larry Roles, marketing director of Alton Towers Resort, said: “I’m immensely proud of every member of the team who made this happen. We have pushed boundaries in all channels to tell the story of Emily Alton. The reaction to the TV has been incredible and we’re excited to get back to being the masters of storytelling.”
Jason Chadwick was senior art director on the campaign, Glenn Scholefield was copywriter and Yoni Weisburg was director. The production company was Chief Productions and media was handled by Wavemaker.
Merlin Entertaintments, owner of Alton Towers, appointed Wavemaker in 2021 as it consolidated its media planning and buying.
Watch the TV Ad here.