Since 2011, five films have been released under the Insidious franchise. Sequentially, the first two films follow the same storyline, while chapters 3 and 4 are prequels. The fifth & latest installment, INSIDIOUS: THE RED DOOR picks up right where chapter 2 left off, bringing the original storyline of the Lambert family to a close.
While this timeline has kept the franchise fresh, its also complicated. In our marketing campaign we needed to go back to where it started and grab the attention of new audiences along the way. Our objective was twofold; reignite the fandom of the 12-year-old Insidious franchise and generate excitement amongst younger audiences for the franchise's culmination.
In order to achieve our objectives, we were going to need three things: an impactful environment, influential credibility and most importantly, scares so real & intense they go viral.
On a seemingly ordinary street corner on Hollywood Boulevard, we concealed an insidious secret. Built into a large-scale advertisement for INSIDIOUS: THE RED DOOR, we hid a real-life red door that’s more than meets the eye. Lurking behind the door was the film franchise’s infamous Lipstick-Face Demon, ready to claim his next victim. Screams, screeches, and door poundings intrigued our passersby - some with fear who quickly ran away, and others with curiosity who answered the call, What’s Behind The Red Door? Those who dared to open the door were treated to the scare of their life including our popular creators, Ben Azelart and Brent Rivera, whom we invited to prank their friends and girlfriends.
With this viral prank, we transported audiences back into the eerie world of Insidious with a single activation, reigniting their passion for the franchise and driving anticipation for the latest installment.
Additionally, we enhanced the experience by incorporating a street art installation, where fans could interact with red doors unveiling the eerie world of Insidious. This deepened engagement, solidifying fans' connection to the franchise and paving the way for a successful return to the big screen.
To expand the reach of our activation we teamed up with influencers Ben Azelart and Brent Rivera, to capture additional videos of pedestrians being drawn into the demonic realm ("The Further"). Their viral videos amassed 2.5 million views, offering a taste of the thrills and scares awaiting fans on the big screen.
Our "Behind The Red Door" prank video, shared across movie and studio social media accounts, achieved remarkable success, garnering 2.5 million organic views and delivering over 60 million impressions in the first weekend alone. It quickly became the top-performing asset on the movie's Instagram page for the entire global campaign.
Building on the success of the Red Door Scare prank, we expanded The Further's reach nationwide with street art installations in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Six talented street artists showcased their creativity with eerie artwork inspired by the beloved Insidious film franchise. The Red Door installations were strategically placed in select cities, inviting fans to delve beyond The Further and interact with the haunting artwork.
