The Halloween season is one time of the year with just as many attractions for adults as kids. Whether you are a trick-or-treater or the one giving out candy, a fan of scary films, or the one hiding under the blanket during them, there is a lot to look forward to during this season.
Of all the attractions, one that speaks to all ages is braving haunted attractions. Designed for different audiences and crafted to deliver different levels of fear, these haunted experiences provide a perfect combination of horror and excitement. They aim to be terrifying enough to meet their audience's expectations, but not so scary that no one would ever come. Their fear factor has to be just right to serve their purpose.
As adults, before we enter a haunted house, we are conscious that the experience is a production intended to scare us without causing any harm. The knowledge that the terrors in the house are bogus gets us in the door, but the sense of horror it creates still leads to us racing out the exit.
Sure, the mummy that jumps from the casket may not be the undead-dead, but our hearts still pound when it springs forward out of the blue. And while we know that there is no risk of being cut to pieces, you never stick around for a conversation with the man chasing you with the bloodstained chainsaw.
When handling terrifying or intense situations, we rely on information and self-awareness. A healthy dose of fear ensures we think decisions through, but knowledge helps us keep our fears in check. Too much or too little of either can lead to misconceptions, influencing our reactions and emotions.
In the spirit of Halloween, how many people are or have been scared of Frankenstein at some point? Just picturing its deformed body, scarred face, green skin is enough to cause the heebie-jeebies. When he appears in the poorly illuminated haunted house, the sight of him is enough to have attendees pushing past each other as they run away.
Now, what if we told you that iconic image of that monstrous figure is not Frankenstein?
Somewhere along the line after Mary Shelley published her novel in 1818, the truth was blurred, and it spiraled into a misconception like no other. Victor Frankenstein is the scientist who created the figure we fear. The visual that comes to mind when you hear the name Frankenstein is actually Frankenstein’s monster. How is that for a situation where fear led to a misrepresentation of the facts?
In our experience, there is only one other situation that rivals the misconstruction of Frankenstein. And the falsehoods embedded in this tale have a chilling impact all year round.
So what is this phony monster we are unmasking? It’s marketing! Over the years, marketing has received a track record of misconceptions that lead to more fiction than fact, informing the publics' perception of it. From being overwhelmed by it, terrified of implementing it, and more, many associations and organizations fear marketing as the monster in its closet.
This month, follow THuS' blogs as we peel back marketing's mask layer by layer to prove it is not as scary as the false narratives built around it. When you turn on the lights and allow the facts to debunk the fears, you will see just how beneficial marketing really is.