This Outdoor Ad for a Vampire Show Bursts Into Flames at Daybreak

Here’s some hot out-of-home for your Friday—outdoor posters for the vampire TV show The Passage that suddenly catch fire when the sun hits them. 

BETC/Havas came up with the incendiary idea for Fox in Brazil. The ads used a special flammable paint that included potassium permanganate and sulfuric acid and would combust when it came in contact with sunlight—much like vampires themselves, of course. 

It’s a cool idea, though self-immolation obviously has its drawbacks—e.g., the ads are totally destroyed after their clever party trick. Plus, daybreak generally isn’t the most high-traffic time for pedestrians, though in a way that does add to the cult-like vibe of the execution. 

There were four posters in all, and they were all replaced twice—which if our math is right means a dozen fiery moments in all. 

“The Vampire Poster combined storytelling with the innovative use of technology in outdoor media,” Andrea Siqueira, executive creative director at BETC/Havas, said in a statement. “The piece wasn’t simply positioned outdoors, it actually used the outdoor environment to spread its message.” 

Unfortunately, the show itself went up in flames two weeks ago, as it was canceled by Fox in the U.S. after a single season. 

CREDITS

Client: Fox
Agency: BETC | Havas, Sao Paulo, Brazil
CCO: Erh Ray
ECD: Andrea Siqueira
Creative Directors: Laura Azevedo, Alexandre Kazuo, Lucas Ribeiro
Creation: Chico Lucas, Gustavo Guives Leal
Tipography: Lígia Fava
Brand & Business: Giovana Degen, Camila Steiman
Channels & Engagement: Carlinha Gagliardi, Ricardo Xavier
Communication Head: Camila Nakagawa
Integrated Production Directors: Mariane Goebel, Anna Luisa Ferraz
Film Production: Anna Luisa Ferraz, Stela Viola
Film Production Company: Damasco Filmes
Direction: Alexandre Lucas
Photography Direction: Danilo Mantovani
Executive Production: Marcelo Monteiro, Carlos Righi
Production Company Account: Felipe Silvani
Motion: Breno Amorim
Visual Effects: Breno Amorim
Audio Production: Canja Audio Culture
Graphic Producion: Gilmar Tadeu De Souza, Carlos Valeriano
Scenographic: Focos Produção, Cenografia
Effects Producion: Focos Produção, Cenografia
Advertiser: Sergio Domanico, Priscila Vilardi, Stefanie Thiene