For theme parks, Halloween is a busy time of year and Six Flags has just released a new campaign featuring its first-ever horror film called “Tick. Tick. Tick.”   

Actually, it’s more of a horror comedy – there’s no blood or gore and it's unlikely the target audience (teens and young adults) will have nightmares after viewing the film (unless an acute phobia of scary-looking clowns is in play). But it does have some tension-producing moments.   

The five-minute film, created and produced by the company’s new creative agency, TMA, will run on YouTube and the client’s social media channels.  

The goal is to drive purchases of each park’s Gold season passes – featured prominently in the film – offering unlimited visits and other benefits.  

The new film features a malevolent clown terrorizing four housemates and builds on the parks’ seasonal “Fear is Waiting” message. This year that message is adjusted slightly to “Don’t keep fear waiting.” 

Says Stella Smith, vice president of advertising & creative services at Six Flags:  “Halloween is having a huge cultural moment, and for us, the time was ripe to up the ante on how we engage with consumers.”   

The work debuts this week and runs through the end of the month.