In recent years, artificial intelligence has demonstrated capabilities that would be astounding to people 10 to 20 years ago. AI is now able to do things that only humans were previously capable of doing, which has resulted in fear and distrust among the public. While the scenario of robots rising up to overthrow their human masters is incredibly unlikely, around 51% of people express fear that AI will be used by criminals, while 78% believe that it will be used for misinformation.
While most people are frightened of the social upheaval AI could bring, others are embracing it in a creative manner, with one brand using it to spread some holiday cheer, or rather, fear.
Six Flags Entertainment is one of the largest theme park operators in the US, with over 27 parks across North America. Every year, during the Halloween season, which is one of the busiest times for the company, Six Flags hosts Fright Fest, transforming its theme parks into acres of haunted houses and thrill rides. The attractions feature a realistic horror-themed aesthetic, with live actors to make the experience even scarier.
For the 2023 Fright Fest, Six Flags' new campaign leverages AI in a new way in their ads and taps into the fear of the experience. Six Flags also partnered with horror movie franchises Saw X and The Conjuring, bringing licensed themed attractions to several of its parks.
With its new campaign, Six Flags is looking to take a new creative direction that creates relevance and connects viewers and visitors with the fun and adrenaline rush associated with the theme parks' brand.
"Fright Fest is a signature event for Six Flags, and our social channels and our guest experience tracker told us that people love it for the haunted houses, the scare zones, and the special food offerings," says Edithann Ramey, Six Flags' Chief Marketing Officer. "We wanted something that was aligned with our social media-heavy marketing strategy. As such, we asked the agency to design a campaign with those parameters, and they delivered an AI-inspired aesthetic that felt really cool for the channel but also brought to life in frightening accuracy the scary fun times people experience at Fright Fest."
As brands look for ways to stay relevant in today's highly competitive media atmosphere, Six Flags has been looking into how AI can help improve the customer experience, as well as create a better relationship with their guests. Six Flags is also using AI-powered assets, such as face filters on social media, to reach their guests in new ways. Currently, its Fright Fest-themed filter is in the top 5% of effect creators on TikTok.
"We are trying to put our target audience, the thrill-seeker, back in the center of the Six Flags brand," says Jonathan Ogle, Principal and Co-Founder of The Infinite Agency. "Of course, Six Flags is a great brand with record-setting roller coasters, but we concentrate more on the feelings and emotions of the guests, rather than solely highlight how high or fast a ride is. Millennial parents have fond memories at Six Flags when they were teens, and now that they are parents, we want them to share the experiences with the next generation."
According to Ogle, despite the fear, suspicion, and uncertainty surrounding AI, he and his team are looking to leverage it positively. Many brands and agencies are now embracing AI to enhance creativity and explore new ways of doing things, instead of displacing artists
"We weren't choosing a machine over a human to do the work" Ogle adds. "Our designers, Omar Gonzalez and Danny McDonald, were asking how AI can help us create something that is visually stunning and captures that emotion that Fright Fest can bring. We're glad to have created a genuinely scary and entertaining product that uses AI to bring out the best in human ingenuity and creativity."
