# Creative Fear-Based Ads This Ad Agency Will Sear Their Brand Into Your Brain By Tiffany | Published 2013-11-26 | Pop Culture Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/john-street-advertising References: [vice](http://www.vice.com/read/there-is-one-ad-agency-in-the-world-that-knows-how-to-promote-itself) Toronto-based advertising agency John Street has completely revolutionized the entire idea of today's modern advertising by instilling fear in consumers. They have coined the term 'exFEARential,' which, according to its site, "(means) to invoke fear while creating a brand experience for consumers." In today's society, we are overwhelmed by our senses and one thing that catches our eye is the shock, stunt and prank factor. It is this that will generate talk and attention; searing the brand into consumer's minds creates something you will never forget. The video starts off with a couple in bed in the middle of the night; two male intruders come in and pull them down the stairs. The couple thinks they're being robbed and suddenly, a drape comes down and they see a group of people holding beers, offering them one. This is one example of the extremities John Street take to attract consumer's attention. Megan Towers, an Exfearience planner says, "fear releases adrenaline, which is directly linked to memory, so we're literally searing our brand into their minds." ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.7/10 - Popularity: 18% | Activity: 55% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Pop Culture](https://www.trendhunter.com/popculture) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Fear-based Marketing:** Using fear to create memorable brand experiences for consumers. - **Experiential Advertising:** Creating immersive and memorable experiences for consumers that associate with the brand. - **Shock Factor Promotion:** Utilizing extreme and unexpected scenarios to grab consumers’ attention and leave a lasting impression. ### Where This Applies - **Advertising:** Innovating the way businesses market and advertise to consumers through the use of fear and memorable experiences. - **Marketing:** Using fear-based techniques to create unique and unforgettable marketing experiences for consumers. - **Entertainment:** Utilizing shock value and unexpected scenarios to captivate audiences and create memorable experiences. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Marketer-Targeted Cereal Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/out-of-home-campaign.md) - [Provocative Guerrilla Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mwcurated.md) - [Distorted Burger Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ailloween.md) - [Horror-Themed Phone Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/join-the-flip-side.md) - [Horror-Inspired Sports Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/scary-good-campaign.md) - [High-Concept Brand Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/legitimate-you.md) - [Nightmarish Mobile Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cellphone-bill.md) - [Drug-Themed April Fool's Gags](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/innocean-berlin.md) - [Humorous Mens Fragrance Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/axe-campaign.md)