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When I first saw the Hatch Halloween ad, I felt unsettled, uncomfortable, and quite frankly, freaked out. I know it’s an ad, but after I showed my husband, we both agreed, maybe marketing took this Halloween agenda a bit too far. Do you agree?
Hatch, a brand known for creating devices that help people sleep better at night, definitely struck a chord by blending Halloween fun with its signature sleep device. In a commercial that depicts the hidden costs of staying up all night on our phones and being addicted to scrolling, Hatch says you can sleep better with their device.
What I would describe as a partial reenactment of The Ring or M. Night Shyamalan films has left many viewers with more than just the seasonal chills. In a world that nearly praises darkness, we should ask ourselves a pivotal question: Where have I allowed darkness, distraction, or digital noise to replace true rest in my life? Are we so comfortable with the entertainment of darkness that we’ve failed to see evil for what it really is?
The irony of the Hatch ad is that Hatch is a company designed to promote calm and rest using their products. After watching their ad, however, I think the only thing many of us may get is more nightmares. Why would such a company use imagery that causes discomfort? Because this isn’t just about Halloween marketing. It’s about a culture that pokes fun at darkness, yet wonders why they still can’t find peace.
Fear as Entertainment
It should be noted that Hatch isn’t alone in this marketing trend. For centuries, many companies have found Halloween as a time to use what’s eerie to grab attention. And that is does. As creeped out as we are, we can’t seem to turn away. The problem with this marketing is that while we might be more convinced to pay attention and buy their product, what’s the cost of our souls and attention?
Scientifically, fear captivates the brain faster than peace. Fight or flight is a common response known to many, but it shouldn’t have to be something we worry about when watching TV commercials. Sadly, marketing companies prey on this fact because stimulation feels more exciting than stillness. To them, it’s better to make people uncomfortable than to lose their attention altogether. And to an extent, it makes sense: Why not use a holiday to bring in more sales? A business is a business after all.
While the intent is creative, at what expense have we normalized darkness? Demons in the night? Twisted heads and pulling phone cords from our throats? Sleepless nights without end? Nightmares that suddenly blend into reality?
Scripture reminds us in 2 Timothy 1:17 that any fear we experience isn’t from God. If we believe in Christ, His light lives within us (John 1:5), and that light exposes what darkness distorts. It might sound like an overreaction, but even a simple ad can make us forget that this evil is real. It’s not a funny commercial. It’s a mockery of something unseen.
Ephesians 6:12 says it this way: “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (KJV). So, maybe, our attraction to fear reveals how restless our souls really are, even if that scares us to our core? Perhaps it scares us more than this Hatch commercial.