AMC Networks is teaming with Sphere Entertainment on a month-long, cross-platform Halloween promotion that will tie AMC’s long-running FearFest programming event with the Las Vegas venue’s second annual “Sphere of Fear.”
The collaboration will bring branded activations from premier advertisers, including Bacardí Rum and Kraft Heinz, across television, streaming, social media and Sphere’s massive Exosphere screen. Footage of Sphere’s Halloween-themed takeover will also be amplified on AMC’s linear networks, AMC Plus, digital outlets and social platforms throughout October.
“Sphere of Fear,” which launched last year, is Sphere’s seasonal celebration of the horror genre. Beginning October 3, fans in Las Vegas and viewers worldwide through Sphere’s social channels and XO Stream livestream will see new Halloween-inspired visuals projected onto the Exosphere. The shows will run nightly from 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. Pacific Time, with themes changing weekly. Content is being produced by Sphere Studios, the venue’s in-house creative team.
For the first time, Bacardí Rum will integrate custom creative into the shows. Its campaign leans into the first week’s theme of “dark omens,” with imagery of red smoke that morphs into chilling scenes before transitioning to the brand’s signature bat logo. The activation runs October 4 through October 9, with supporting placements across AMC platforms during the month.
“There is no bigger holiday for Bacardí Rum than Halloween, with our iconic bat logo and classic cocktails like the Blood Moon and Bacardí Zombie,” said Lisa Pfenning, vice president of Bacardí Rum for North America. “Partnering with AMC Networks and Sphere at every touchpoint along this journey just reinforces the brand’s authentic connection to the holiday.”
Kraft Heinz will also appear as a premier partner, spotlighting its Velveeta brand through custom content across AMC’s linear channels and social platforms. Velveeta will additionally serve as sponsor of the “Best of FearFest” collection available on AMC Plus throughout October.
AMC Networks executives said the partnership underscores the popularity of horror with fans and advertisers alike. “This new partnership with Sphere that runs across FearFest and Sphere of Fear is like nothing we’ve done before, and we can’t wait to light up our platforms with 650 hours of terrifying films, shows and specials,” said Mike DiGiacomo, AMC’s head of integrated marketing.
Marcus Ellington, the Executive Vice President of Ad Sales and Sponsorships for Sphere, called the collaboration “a new era of multi-platform activations,” adding that brands like Bacardí are embracing Sphere’s unique ability to merge creative with the venue’s programming.
FearFest, a staple of AMC’s October lineup, will once again feature horror franchises including “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” “Halloween,” “Friday the 13th” and “Final Destination.” The schedule also includes films from Stephen King’s library, anniversary screenings of “The Shining” and “Misery,” new episodes of “The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon,” a new series in the Anne Rice Universe titled “Talamasca: The Secret Order,” and holiday-themed installments of “The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs.”
