Peacock has a uniquely powerful horror offering within their existing catalogue, including major titles from Blumhouse Productions, who are well renowned for their multitude of horror IP. Despite this, Peacock found they still had space to improve and increase consumer perception within the horror genre.
Thus Peacock sought to create a consumer-first experience that placed fans in an immersive world of scares, positioning the brand as a leading streamer and home for both die-hard horror fans and the horror-curious ahead of the Halloween season. Because the fandom around horror is only expanding, Peacock seized the opportunity to create a recognizable, memorable and distinct experience for consumers to increase brand affinity and Peacock’s association with horror content.
During the development phase, we identified multiple concepts of how to translate this into a physical experience that simultaneously highlighted both Peacock and Blumhouse’s most iconic IP, while engaging audiences on a spectrum of scare comfort levels. The winning result was a destination hotel experience that allowed for attendees to choose their scare level and become fully immersed in a horror-themed world. While they wanted to target consumers, we also created a parallel preview experience for press, content creators and celebrity horror fans to scale the experience.
Selected for its storied past and destination-style location in the mountains of Colorado, we transformed the Lodge at the famously haunted Stanley Hotel into a multi-day activation dubbed “Overnightmare”.
We developed four distinct scare experiences themed around Blumhouse films, each outlined on our custom landing page, for guests to select the level of horror they would experience. Slots sold out in under 48 hours!
Original scripts were developed based on key plot points from each film, placing guests in the middle of the action, which began with a knock on their door and proceeded to a new scene upstairs. All guest rooms were decorated with themed, custom props aligned with their selected scare, reinforcing the narrative journey and the spooks to come.
Instead of a typical, more passive haunted house experience, Overnightmare was tailored to each guest, capitalizing on fans’ desires for FULL immersion with always-on components and added value beyond their booked scare experience. Only a handful of guests could participate in the scare experiences at one time, providing an intimate, customized and unique experience for everyone. During the day, guests were able to roam the grounds and book tours to learn more about the hotel’s haunted history. Screenings conducted in the Concert Hall provided late night entertainment.
We created an original character to welcome everyone and remain omnipresent throughout the stay. "Avery", our conci-scare-ge played by multiple actors (often at the same time), set the stage at check-in and during the welcome dinner. They, alongside other characters from the scare experiences, floated around playing host, making ‘friends’, or adding to the eerie atmosphere.
Before opening to the public, press and creators received the first taste of Overnightmare with a white-glove approach to drive extended engagement and coverage.
Beyond programming, an eye to detail and narrative storytelling made this campaign shine. The Blumhouse Bar displayed actual props from the featured films, which guests perused as they sipped themed cocktails. The Teacup Lounge, named after Peacock’s original horror series to promote the eerie setting and themes, provided reprieve and hospitality accommodations.
The scares were hosted in fully transformed hotel suites, and the actors who played prototypical characters from the films were deft at reacting to the guests so every interaction was unique. From the fully curated decor, soundscapes and lighting, roaming characters (one posed as a guest, only to be found tied up at the mercy of the Purgers during that evening’s experience), themed menus and more, every moment provided an opportunity for press, influencer and celebrity guests to create content and a lasting dialogue.
From check-in to departure, Overnightmare engaged guests with a mix of thrilling scares, interactive activities, and hauntingly themed environments, making for an unforgettable stay that also strategically utilized the entire experience as a content studio for lasting impact beyond check out.
We were able to achieve our goals of (1) engaging horror fans to drive Peacock’s position in the genre—seen through strong coverage from horror outlets, influencers and mainstream entertainment—and (2) continuing to build a strong connection between the Peacock and Blumhouse brands—50% of the coverage included both Peacock and Blumhouse in the headlines or tagged on socials.
While just over 60 guests were able to stay at the hotel, their excitement resulted in over 359 million social impressions. In a post-event survey, the general public who purchased tickets shared overwhelmingly positive feedback, noting this was a “once in a lifetime experience,” “one of the coolest experiences” they’ve ever attended, and “We hope this is something that the Stanley does every year. We would love to come back!"
The campaign resulted in over 70 press stories in national, local and broadcast outlets, including spots on Access Hollywood, E! News and TODAY, resulting in 450M+ earned media impressions.
Carly Lane of Collider wrote “Peacock and Blumhouse managed to stage an immersive event that felt equally exclusive and accessible for horror newbies and diehards alike. Here's hoping this is only the beginning of the Overnightmare.”
Julie Jordan of People testified “even though I admittedly had my eyes closed for most of it, I would still do it again.” A sentiment shared by Mark Peikert of IndieWire who said “the triumph of Overnightmare is how thoroughly it immerses participants in the feeling that something isn’t quite right.”
