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Travel company WeRoad launched a new spot that hits two birds with one stone, celebrating both the holidays and Halloween.
Helmed by agency DUDE London, the campaign introduces us to the "Holiday Reaper" — a fictional character inspired by iconic slasher and horror films.
The latest initiative from the brand and agency was born out of a study revealing that workers are unfamiliar with their companies' policies regarding unused vacation leaves, which can lead to lost holiday time and more stress.
Notably, half of the surveyed reported that only a select amount of unused vacation leaves can be carried over, while more than a quarter (26%) reported to their unused annual leaves expiring.
So, WeRoad sought to address this with the Holiday Reaper. Here, he serves as a frightening reminder for everyone to take their holiday leaves and have a well-deserved vacation.
WeRoad UK Marketing Manager Justyna Chlopecka shared the idea behind the campaign, with the team wanting to tap into the retro '80s horror vibe.
"Our 'Holiday Reaper' campaign channels the classic '80s horror movie, but instead of running from a masked killer, our protagonist is running from the scariest thing of all — watching their annual leave vanish into the void. It's a tongue-in-cheek way to remind people that letting your holidays slip away is scarier than any '80s horror movie monster," Chlopecka added.
Through the use of campy horror and witty humor, WeRoad's latest campaign not only builds emotional engagement with its audiences, but also reminds them to take their leaves before HR does.
Be Ready for the Holiday Reaper
The short 53-second advert introduces us to Sophie, who has five days of unused annual leave. Because they remain unused, they now belong to the Holiday Reaper.
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Much like a scene in "Saw," Sophie is then seen chained to her office desk, forced to witness the holiday posts of her colleagues, and waiting to use the microwave after "Bob from legal."
The Reaper then signs off his email to Sophie, writing his initials "H.R."
The spot ends with the narrator reminding viewers that millions of annual leaves are lost every year, and to take them before "HR" does.
Recently, Dietz & Watson brought back its iconic "Gabaghoul" character in a new campaign from RTO+P.
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