Ideas
Explore the world's #1 largest database of ideas and innovations, with 463,222 inspiring examples.
Trend Reports
Discover why 1,245 brands rely on our AI-powered Trend Reports to get better, faster insights.
Newsletter
Join 320,968 subscribers who rely on our weekly newsletter to keep up with need-to-know trends and insights.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
Consumer Insights
Uncover major shifts and emerging opportunities with our exclusive PRO research.
Trend Reports
Discover why 1,245 brands rely on our AI-powered Trend Reports to get better, faster insights.
Newsletter
Join 320,968 subscribers who rely on our weekly newsletter to keep up with need-to-know trends and insights.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
Advisory & Services
Accelerate innovation and ignite disruptive thinking with our award-winning programs and research.
Trend Reports
Get fast, customized trend reports, presentations and deep dives 20x faster than traditional research.
Plans
Get started today with a free consultation, our self-serve tools, or a dedicated program.
Articles & Magazine
Get inspired with our 4,215 innovation strategy articles, keynote, videos and innovation tools.
Innovation Awards
Trend Hunter’s Innovation Strategy Awards recognize the best innovation tactics gathered from our interviews with some of the world's most notable business leaders, authors and change makers.
Advisory & Services
Accelerate innovation and ignite disruptive thinking with our award-winning programs and research.
Innovation Assessment
Enhance your innovation potential with a deeper understanding of your unique innovation archetype and how your organization benchmarks.
FuturistU
Prepare for the years ahead with 100+ lessons, tactics, tools and frameworks with our full learning database.
Innovation Books
Join 20,000,000 people getting better and faster with our New York Times Bestselling books and keynote videos.
Jeremy Gutsche
Ignite your event or virtual event with our CEO, a NY Times Bestselling Author and one of the top innovation keynote speakers.
Our Team of Speakers & Virtual Presenters
Inspire your group with our most popular speakers on innovation, trends, change and futurism.
Custom Training & Events
Bring the Future Festival experience directly to your team or co-hosted custom event.
Custom Masterclasses
Join the world's leading brands who leverage our custom programs to accelerate innovation.
FuturistU 5-Day Program
Become a Futurist with our immersive 5-Day program at Future Festival World Summit.
Online eLearning
Learn the fundamentals of futurism and trends with 100+ online courses about innovation.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
Contact
Get in touch to learn more, ask a question or submit a tip.
About Us
Learn more about Trend Hunter and how we accelerate innovation.
Follow-Us
Join our 3,500,000 social media followers, on the cutting edge.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
FAQ
Get answers to common questions about Trend Hunter.
Community
Stay on the cutting-edge with the help of the Trend Hunter community.
Team
Meet the team trusted by hundreds of leading businesses worldwide.
Jobs
Find opportunities to accelerate your career with the #1 Trend Firm.
News
Catch up on noteworthy Trend Hunter news and media mentions.
Join
Build a portfolio and put your trend-spotting abilities to the test.
Advertising
Supercharge your marketing by partnering with Trend Hunter.
Portfolio
Visit your public portfolio and browse your past articles.
Add a Trend
Write up an article and showcase your trend-spotting skills.
My Trends
Edit your articles and see how they stack up on the leaderboards.
Settings
Edit your profile, connect your social media accounts, and more.
Add a trend, customize your dashboard, or track topics.
Future Festival
Innovation Events
Join the world's top innovators at our in person events.
Free Webinars
Learn to innovate through chaos, navigate the new normal and maintain work culture from home.
Custom Training & Events
Bring the Future Festival experience directly to your team or co-hosted custom event.
Search our database of 463,222 cutting edge ideas.

Episodic Campaign

Video ads create dramatic narratives to engage consumers

Implications - Utilizing the drama, intrigue and plot techniques often associated with feature films and binge-worthy TV shows, commercials are ramping up production value to capture the hearts and minds of consumers. By engaging consumer's emotions and piquing their curiosity, advertisers are generating excitement around featured brands through association, keeping intrigued consumers coming back for more. Episodic style marketing also serves to present products and brands more organically to the consumer, mimicking the method of casual product placement.
Workshop Question - What larger narrative could you create around your brand and offerings?
Trend Themes
1. Episodic Storytelling - The trend of utilizing the drama, intrigue, and plot techniques of feature films and binge-worthy TV shows in commercials to generate excitement and curiosity around featured brands through association presents an opportunity for advertisers to present their products more organically.
2. Immersive Short-form Campaigns - Creating immersive Halloween-themed short-form anthology series and extended videos through streaming sites like Hulu sets an excellent example of the unlimited potential of the streaming industry to shift the way in which TV is understood and consumed.
3. Genre-mashing Commercials - The trend of combining diverse genres within the same ad, such as heartwarming sports films quickly changing into thrilling sci-fi, can demonstrate a brand's diverse range of movie and show listings in an increasingly competitive market.
Industry Implications
1. Advertising - Advertisers can utilize episodic storytelling techniques to generate excitement and curiosity around a brand or product through association, leading to more organic presentations to the consumer.
2. Streaming Services - Streaming platforms or sites can create an immersive experience for viewers by developing short-form anthology series and extended Halloween-themed videos, presenting unlimited potential to shift the way in which TV is consumed.
3. Entertainment - The entertainment industry can benefit from the trend of genre-mashing commercials to demonstrate a wider range of movie and show listings, becoming more competitive in an increasingly crowded market.
3.9
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
6 Featured, 52 Examples:
110,976 Total Clicks
Date Range:
Oct 17 — Dec 18
Trending:
Mild
Consumer Insight Topics:

Featured Examples

Faux Movie Trailer Commercials
Faux Movie Trailer Commercials
Web of Fries is Taco Bell's Faux Trailer to Finally Introduce Fries
Taco Bell’s latest faux trailer for its film Web of Fries is an amazing marketing campaign that tackles the introduction of Taco Bell fries. The ad portrays itself as a conspiracy thriller and... MORE
Short-Form Horror Campaigns
Short-Form Horror Campaigns
Hulu's 'Huluween' Campaign Rolled Out Six Short-Form Anthology Films
This Halloween, the streaming site Hulu released a unique ‘Huluween’ campaign where it immersed viewers in horror-themed content. The activation included a short-form anthology series... MORE
play_circle_filled Candy Brand Halloween Campaigns
Candy Brand Halloween Campaigns
Mars Inc. Created a Series of Frightening Commercials
Mars Inc took a unique route in promoting its candy products this Halloween, creating a series of short horror films for its commercials in a campaign called Bite Size Horror. The unique... MORE
play_circle_filled Creatively Romantic Beauty Commercials
Creatively Romantic Beauty Commercials
Shiseido Targets Halloween Consumers with Heart-Warming Ads
Japanese cosmetic company Shiseido diverges from the traditional spooky marketing methods during the month of October and instead embraces a romantic Halloween-inspired approach for its latest... MORE
play_circle_filled 90s Christmas Movie-Inspired Ads
90s Christmas Movie-Inspired Ads
The Home Alone Again with the Google Assistant Ad is Nostalgic
Fans of the iconic Home Alone Christmas films are sure to get a kick out of the Home Alone Again with the Google Assistant commercial that has been unveiled by the technology brand as a nostalgic... MORE
play_circle_filled Genre-Mashing Basketball Commercials
Genre-Mashing Basketball Commercials
At&t's 'Shot' Ad Shifts from Sports to a Thrilling Sci-Fi
At&T’s ‘Shot’ ad is demonstrating the brand’s diverse range of show listings, with a genre-mashing commercial that quickly changes from a heartwarming sports film to a... MORE

Related Examples

AI-Integrated Smart Home Displays
AI-Integrated Smart Home Displays
The LG XBOOM AI ThinQ was Developed in Partnership with Google
Multi-Sensory Holiday Markets
Multi-Sensory Holiday Markets
Paco Rabanne is Creating a Millennial-Targeted Fragrance Market
70s Magazine-Themed Editorials
70s Magazine-Themed Editorials
Gucci Highlights Two Chunky Sneakers in the Cruise 2019 Capsule
play_circle_filled Festively Creative Holiday Ads
Festively Creative Holiday Ads
The 2018 Apple Holiday Commercial Boast Pixar-Style Animations
Flavor-Focused Spirit Ads
Flavor-Focused Spirit Ads
'Unmistakably Tanqueray' Plays off the Iconic Flavor of this Brand's Gin
Adorable Lonely Bear Ads
Adorable Lonely Bear Ads
Walmart's 'Bring Holiday Magic Home' Follows a Lonely Teddy Bear
Equality-Focused Open Letter Ads
Equality-Focused Open Letter Ads
ThirdLove Wrote a One-Page Open Letter in the New York Times
play_circle_filled Diversity-Pushing Marketing Initiatives
Diversity-Pushing Marketing Initiatives
MEC Pledges to Diversify the Outdoor Industry
play_circle_filled Incentivized Shopping Campaigns
Incentivized Shopping Campaigns
Burger King's Whopper-Shopper Helps Consumers Shop Online and Save
Vintage Fast Food Ads
Vintage Fast Food Ads
McDonald's Celebrates Its Iconic Burger with a Retro Twist by TBWA\Paris
Social Media Costume Contests
Social Media Costume Contests
Dunkin' Embraces the Halloween Spirit with an Instagram Contest
Spooky Overnight Accommodations
Spooky Overnight Accommodations
Booking.com Offers Users a Spooky Sleepover This Halloween Season
play_circle_filled Interactive Ghost Story Campaigns
Interactive Ghost Story Campaigns
M&M's Halloween Campaign is Launched in Weekly Installments
Interactive Cryptocurrency Halloween Campaigns
Interactive Cryptocurrency Halloween Campaigns
Bitmart Exchange Hosts a Creative Contest for Users
Skeletal Cotton Candy Treats
Skeletal Cotton Candy Treats
Disney is Ushering in Halloween with Jack Skellington Cotton Candy
play_circle_filled Haunted Chocolate Factory Tours
Haunted Chocolate Factory Tours
The Seattle Chocolate Factory's Immersive Tour is Family-Friendly
Halloween-Themed Candy Amusement Parks
Halloween-Themed Candy Amusement Parks
The Hersheypark Offers Guests Spooky Halloween Adventures
play_circle_filled Voice Assistant Shopping Guides
Voice Assistant Shopping Guides
ASOS' Smart Speaker Shopping Experience Shares New Fashion Styles
Speedy Search Engine Smartphones
Speedy Search Engine Smartphones
The Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL are Lifestyle-Focused
Minimalist Influencer Halloween Costumes
Minimalist Influencer Halloween Costumes
Urban Outfitters Taps into the Recent Cultural Phenomenon
Horror Film Escape Rooms
Horror Film Escape Rooms
The Saw Escape Room in Las Vegas Offers an Immersive Experience
High-Tech Haunted Houses
High-Tech Haunted Houses
Google Launched a Haunted House Experience with Its Voice Assistant
AI Voice Assistant Wearables
AI Voice Assistant Wearables
The 'VoiceMojo' Sports a Push-to-Talk Functionality
Connected Bone Conduction Eyewear
Connected Bone Conduction Eyewear
The Ossii Sound Glasses Work with Voice Assistants and More
Home Decor Voice Assistants
Home Decor Voice Assistants
Through Google Assistant, H&M Home Stylist Offers Decor Inspiration
Smart Assistant-Powered TVs
Smart Assistant-Powered TVs
The 2018 LG ThinQ AI TVs Have Google Assistant Built In
Smart Voice Assistant Speakers
Smart Voice Assistant Speakers
The Bang & Olufsen Beoplay P6 Speaker Offers 360-Degrees of Sound
Sci-Fi Themed Car Commercials
Sci-Fi Themed Car Commercials
Mercedes X-Class Pick-Up Was Inspired by Star Wars: The Last Jedi
play_circle_filled Musical Decor Commercials
Musical Decor Commercials
Value City's 'Boss of the Bedroom' was Choreographed by Mandy Moore
Competitive eSports Television Shows
Competitive eSports Television Shows
ESL and Hulu Will Produce Four Online Gaming-Based TV Shows
Streamable Global Gaming Tournaments
Streamable Global Gaming Tournaments
The League of Legends World Championship is Quickly Expanding
play_circle_filled LGBT Streaming Platforms
LGBT Streaming Platforms
WOW Presents Plus is a SVOD Service with a Focus on LGBT Programming
Short-Form Streaming Services
Short-Form Streaming Services
'Zeus' is a New VOD Platform Being Created by Former Vine Stars
Diverse Stand-Up Specials
Diverse Stand-Up Specials
Netflix is Collaborating with Adel Kamar in an Original Stand-Up Special
play_circle_filled Channel-Takeover Branding Stunts
Channel-Takeover Branding Stunts
Snickers Took Over the British Television Channel 'Dave'
TV-Themed Hotel Packages
TV-Themed Hotel Packages
The Gregory Hotel Offers an 'Ex-stream-ly Cozy Package'
play_circle_filled Self-Parenting Insurance Ads
Self-Parenting Insurance Ads
Progressive's 'Parentamorphosis' Has Adults Turn into Their Parents
AI Editing Livestream Cameras
AI Editing Livestream Cameras
The Mevo Plus Live-Streaming Camera Edits Videos in Real-Time
Demand-Based Theater Pricing
Demand-Based Theater Pricing
The Regal Entertainment Group is Testing New Pricing Structures
Candy-Inspired Pizzas
Candy-Inspired Pizzas
The Chuck E. Cheese Candy Corn Pizza Looks Like the Classic Treat
QSR Brand Ambassador Costumes
QSR Brand Ambassador Costumes
The KFC Colonel Sanders Halloween Costume is Limited-Edition
Charcoal Halloween Snacks
Charcoal Halloween Snacks
The Nékter Juice Bar's 'Scary Skoop' is a Healthy Halloween Indulgence
Musical App-Connected Ads
Musical App-Connected Ads
British Supermarket Asda Created a Shazam-Enabled Halloween Commercial
Candied Soda Beverages
Candied Soda Beverages
The Pepsi Halloween Cola Boasts a Sugary Pink Color and a Bubblegum Flavor
Spooky QSR Dessert Confections
Spooky QSR Dessert Confections
The Dunkin’ Donuts Halloween Donuts Come in 13 Variations
Halloween Candy-Packed Ice Creams
Halloween Candy-Packed Ice Creams
The Baskin-Robbins Candy Bar Mashup Ice Cream is Treat-Packed
Spooky Disney Lip Balms
Spooky Disney Lip Balms
Lip Smackers Released a Tsum Tsum Disney Halloween Collection
Director-Designed Tequila Bottles
Director-Designed Tequila Bottles
This Patrón Limited-Edition Tequila is Ornately Beautiful
play_circle_filled Anecdotal Gambling Commercials
Anecdotal Gambling Commercials
This Commercial for 'Kwiff' is Equal Parts Dark and Comical
play_circle_filled Satirical Dreamland Commercials
Satirical Dreamland Commercials
Coop Home Goods' First Commercial References 'Stranger Things'
play_circle_filled Bad Babysitter Commercials
Bad Babysitter Commercials
The T-Mobile 'Babysitter' Ad Takes a Swipe at Verizon's Fees and Taxes
play_circle_filled Non-Alcoholic Beer Ads
Non-Alcoholic Beer Ads
Heineken's Open to All Campaign Focuses on Inclusion