Japanese tire company succeeds in ‘scarevertising’

Will someone please go tell Japan it’s not Halloween anymore?

This Autoway Tire commercial made me audibly scream, drop my headphones and walk away from my desk. It is most definitely not for the faint of heart.

No, seriously. The ad even comes with that very disclaimer before it even starts, along with “We shall not be liable for any injuries, illness and damages claimed to be caused by watching the contents.”

Without giving too much away, the premise is essentially from the p.o.v. of passengers in a car — you see what they see through the windshield. It’s also nighttime and it’s snowing.

Oh, and the road is haunted.

The tactic is actually called “scarevertising,” and the company employs it to show that its tires perform in extreme or dangerous conditions.

What do you think: Is “scarevertising” a clever ploy?