Hatch Turns Doomscrolling Into a Horror Story With Kiernan Shipka

Halloween just got a little more sleepless.

Hatch has premiered “Goodnight, Phone," a faux horror trailer starring Chilling Adventures of Sabrina actress Kiernan Shipka.

The short turns the all-too-familiar habit of doomscrolling into a nightmare that unfolds across screens and theater previews nationwide.

Directed by rising horror filmmaker Meredith Alloway, the trailer follows Ava (Shipka), a young woman whose nightly scroll becomes a descent into terror as her screen begins to watch her back.

It’s Hatch’s most cinematic move yet, warning audiences of technology’s dark side while upholding the brand’s mission to help people reclaim restful nights.

“Goodnight, Phone felt like the perfect spooky story to tell, especially with Hatch leading the charge to get phones out of the bedroom and help people get better sleep,” said Shipka.

“So many of us are guilty of scrolling too much at night, so I think this campaign is going to feel deeply relatable.”

The short film officially debuts today in select theaters, on Hatch’s YouTube channel, and on a dedicated microsite. 

Beyond its Halloween timing, the project marks Hatch’s first appearance on the big screen, which is a striking evolution for a brand rooted in sleep science and wellness.

When Horror Meets Habit

More than a seasonal stunt, “Goodnight, Phone” embodies Hatch’s brand marketing strategy by turning its "Restore 3" device into a narrative centerpiece.

In the trailer, the only thing untouched by the algorithm’s reach is the soft glow of a Hatch sleep clock, a symbolic anchor for digital detox.

The campaign expands into a robust digital rollout with paid media across streaming and social media platforms, encouraging audiences to face their own late-night habits.

Launched earlier this year, Hatch's Restore 3 promotes phone-free controls, customized light and audio pairings, and a circadian-friendly sunrise alarm.

“Goodnight, Phone” gives the gadget a chilling and familiar story to live in.

It’s not a monster in the closet that’s robbing sleep, but the constant lure of one’s screen.

"Earlier this year, we launched the new Hatch Restore with phone-free controls to help people put their phones away and get better sleep," Rinee Shah, ECD at Hatch, told DesignRush.

"To close out the year, we wanted to build on that same message and create something equally bold by taking a familiar media format, like a movie trailer, and giving it a Hatch twist to show how scarily disruptive phones can be to sleep."

Through the combination of relatable behavior and horror tropes, Hatch turns a product demo into a genre experience that sticks.

Last year, Hatch was listed by Inc. Magazineamong America’s fastest-growing private companies, gaining momentum in the sleep tech market.

Hatch's Lesson in Cinematic Brand Storytelling 

Hatch’s faux horror trailer highlights how brands can connect with consumers by tapping into their shared struggles. 

• Narrative-driven campaigns can turn functional benefits into emotional storytelling that audiences remember.
• Cross-channel film formats can expand reach beyond traditional ad placements.
• Pairing product education with entertainment, as seen in “Goodnight, Phone,” keeps the message subtle but persuasive.

Hatch joins a growing list of brands using faux films for impact.

JCPenney recently launched “Omitted” with Ashley Graham, transforming social commentary into marketing touchpoints that earned traction in social media. 

Whether wellness brands can sustain this cinematic push year-round will be one of the next questions to watch.

Our Take: Can Horror Sell Better Sleep?

What is it with big brands latching onto horror tropes? 

Whatever it is, it's working.

Watching “Goodnight, Phone,” I couldn’t help but think how eerily accurate it felt. That late-night scroll, the restless wakefulness; it feels like a horror we’ve all lived.

The brand's latest campaign prioritizes confronting a shared vulnerability through the film before selling its gadget.

It’s unsettling, relatable, and hits close to home, and those points are exactly what make it persuasive.

Not every wellness brand can afford a big-screen debut, but Hatch proves you don’t need to reinvent your product to tell a good story.

Sometimes, you just need to hold up a mirror and let the reflection scare you into change.

Recently, Nike did something similar with its "Scary Good" campaign, which stars top athletes who bring fear to other players on the pitch.