'Final Destination: Bloodlines' OOH campaign stirs paranoia in MY

Strong marketing can elevate the anticipation for a film, and the upcoming horror title Final Destination: Bloodlines is proving just that. As the latest instalment in a franchise known for fuelling irrational fears since the early 2000s, the film is now drawing a new generation of viewers into its world of anxiety-inducing scenarios ahead of its release on 15 May.

In Malaysia, the film's marketing campaign has taken a clever and immersive turn. Out-of-home (OOH) ads placed in Central i-City shopping centre in Selangor have caught the attention of passerbys despite blending seamlessly into the mall’s environment. Instead of traditional posters, the ads were designed to look like regular warning signs, triggering unease among those familiar with the franchise’s theme of death lurking around every corner.

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The campaign came to light when X user @AshraffMokhtar shared images of the installations. One photo showed a shattered lift floor sticker featuring the film’s title, while another captured a “Do not lean” warning placed on a glass railing. Additional warning signage near escalators further echoed the tension of The Final Destination film from 2009.

In his post, @AshraffMokhtar captioned the photos with "Kuang ajo punya marketing" which translates to "How dare you use this sort of marketing", loosely calling out the parties responsible for the OOH ad, for stirring fear and paranoia. At the time of writing, his tweet had garnered over 480K views, and 6.2K reshares. 

"I grew up watching Final Destination, and because of its simple terrifying premise that things can go south in the most unexpected places, this kind of marketing plays with a fear that’s already instilled by the franchise decades ago. Seeing it again in this form of OOH advertising, it’s amusing and scary at the same time," Ashraff said in conversation with A+M. He is also a film director at Reservoir Productions. 

Many social users praised the campaign’s creativity, noting that the warning-style ads were fitting for the film's horror theme. Some users said "This is not good for overthinking people like me", and "They're playing with our intrusive thoughts here". Another netizen even suggested that the "warnings" should be placed in toilets too, and another user said they would rather take the emergency staircase if they saw an ad such as the one in the elevator. 

A+M has reached out to Warner Bros Malaysia for more information.

Movie studios are going beyond traditional trailers and posters in a bid to reignite excitement for theatrical releases. As audiences become more selective about what gets them off the couch and into cinema seats, marketers are responding with immersive, share-worthy campaigns that blur the lines between entertainment and experience. From light projections to exclusive merchandise drops, the goal is to build anticipation that translates into ticket sales. 

For example, Marvel recently lit up Kuala Lumpur’s skyline by illuminating the Merdeka 118 tower with visuals and taglines teasing the Thunderbolts* film. The light show spotlighted a stunt sequence from the film featuring Florence Pugh, whose character leaps off the very same skyscraper, which is the second tallest building in the world. The spectacle turned the city’s architecture into a promotional canvas, leaving a lasting impression ahead of the film’s release earlier this May.

Earlier last month, A Minecraft Movie joined forces with McDonald's for a limited-time menu and collectibles tied to the upcoming Minecraft Movie. Additionally, Minecraft fans were able to get their hands on the McDonald's Minecraft collector's gift box, which included the limited-edition collectibles and cards, tapping on Singaporeans and Malaysians' love of collectibles.

Meanwhile, Wonda Coffee is tapping into nostalgia and national pride with a Keluang Man merchandise campaign, released just ahead of the local superhero film’s debut on 29 May. From comic-themed social posts to exclusive mini figures and umbrellas, fans must visit four different locations to collect the full set, turning the campaign into both a scavenger hunt and a fan celebration.

Photo courtesy of Ashraff Mokhtar. 

Join us this coming 21 May for #Content360, an extravaganza centered around three core thematic pillars: Challenging the norm; Conquering Media Fragmentation; and Unlocking Imagination. Immerse yourself in learning to curate content with creativity, critical thinking, and confidence with us at Content360!  

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