Title | America's Most Haunted |
Agency | Grey New York |
Campaign | America's Most Haunted |
Advertiser | Change the ref |
Brand | Change the ref |
Date of First Broadcast/Publication | 2022 / 6 |
Business Sector | Charities, Foundations, Volunteers |
Story | The past few years have been among the deadliest years on record in the U.S. with 45,000 deaths annually. But the trauma of gun violence doesn’t end there. Survivors are haunted by the mental health impact every day. |
Philosophy | America’s Most Haunted is a completely immersive, 360 audio experience. Advanced sound design brought this scary story to life with over 250 foley channels, spatial mixing techniques, and the frequency of fear (below 19 Hz). Contrasting moments of silence and peaks of volume created jump scares and built tension, while alternating ethereal and grounded sound design made the horror story sound all too realistic. In addition, muffled sound effects and reverbs were expertly used in the survivor’s flashbacks, while atonal distortions and abstract textures made the listener disorientated and uncomfortable. This effect was amplified through piano textures, waterphones, and a deconstructed soundtrack. But this wasn't just another scary story—it's a story inspired by a real shooting that left a teenager emotionally and physically scarred. We concluded the podcast by encouraging listeners to get involved at ChangeTheRef.org as well as providing emotional support resources at SurvivorsEmpowered.org. Ultimately, listeners weren’t just haunted—they were moved to take action. |
Problem | To reach a population desensitized to gun violence, we needed to make that trauma visceral. People needed to not just hear these stories, but to feel them. We created a chilling horror story and truly immersive audio experience. On June 3rd, 2022, National Gun Violence Awareness Day, we hijacked the popular, "Disturbed: True Horror Stories" Podcast, surprising listeners with a different kind of terror. |
Media Type | Case Study |
Length | |
Advertising Manager | Manuel Oliver |
Worldwide Chief Creative Officer | Javier Campopiano |
Chief Creative Officer | Tim Jones |
Group Creative Director | Laura Potucek |
Group Creative Director | Guy Bricio |
Group Creative Director | Josh Eastman |
Group Creative Director | Ron Lewis |
Creative Director | Olivia Peet |
Creative Director | Lindsei Barros |
Creative Director | Erica Gale |
Art Director | Kaio Mendes |
Project Manager | Joey Scarillo |
Account Director | Elizabeth Gilchrist |
Sound Design Company | CANJA Audio Culture |
Sound Design Company | Curitiba |
Sound Design Executive Producer | Nessa Mafra |
Sound Design Producer | Ana Flor Bohrer |
Sound Design Producer | Flavia Medeiros |
Sound Design Producer | Matheus Peres |
Head of Sound | Lucas Sfair |
Head of Sound | Eduardo Karas |
Head of Sound | Filipe Resende |
Sound Designer | Bruno Vieira Brixel |
Sound Designer | Leonardo Lima |
Global Creative Chairman | John Patroulis |
Chief Creative Officer | Justine Armour |