Dinosaur Turns Flat Tyre Panic into Horror Cinema for Holts Tyreweld

Turning a Flat Tyre Into a Horror Film

A deserted industrial complex. A blood-red sky swallowed by fog. A faint hiss from beneath the car. That sinking feeling creeping in.

Not exactly the setup you expect for an automotive product.

But that’s precisely the point.

Manchester-based independent agency Dinosaur has reimagined the everyday puncture as a full-blown horror scenario in its new integrated campaign for Holts Tyreweld. Instead of focusing on functionality or product specs, the campaign dramatizes the emotional reality of being stranded with a flat tyre.

The result feels less like a traditional ad and more like a movie trailer.

Emotional Storytelling Over Functional Messaging

For decades, Holts has positioned itself as a practical, no-fuss automotive brand. Since 1919, it has focused on helping drivers solve everyday car problems efficiently.

This campaign marks a noticeable shift.

Rather than leading with rational benefits, the work taps into fear, isolation, and vulnerability—the genuine emotions drivers experience when stuck at the roadside. The creative line, “The puncture… that sinking feeling isn’t just the tyre,” perfectly captures that layered anxiety.

It’s not just about the mechanical failure. It’s about uncertainty. Lack of control. Exposure.

By leaning into horror tropes—ominous skies, eerie sound design, cinematic pacing—the campaign reframes a routine inconvenience as a moment of high drama.

And then, crucially, introduces Tyreweld as the hero.

The Product as Savior

In classic horror structure, tension builds before relief arrives. Dinosaur mirrors that formula here.

The hiss grows louder. The setting feels more threatening. The protagonist seems stranded.

Then Tyreweld appears—not as a background utility, but as the savior of the story. The emergency puncture repair solution allows drivers to temporarily fix the tyre without changing a wheel, especially valuable for those without a spare, lacking tools, or simply needing to get moving quickly and safely.

Narratively, it’s clean and effective: fear → tension → rescue.

By positioning the product as the emotional resolution, the brand becomes memorable in a way traditional demonstrations rarely achieve.

Big-Screen Scale, Smart Budget

One of the most interesting aspects of the campaign is its production approach. To achieve cinematic scale without blockbuster costs, Dinosaur blended human craft with carefully directed AI production tools.

Importantly, AI didn’t replace the idea—it amplified it.

The creative concept led. AI helped expand environments, deepen atmosphere, and increase perceived scale while keeping the budget controlled. It’s a compelling example of constraint fueling creativity rather than limiting it.

In an industry increasingly debating AI’s role, this campaign shows a balanced application: technology serving storytelling.

Integrated Rollout Across Channels

Launching from 16 February, the campaign spans OOH, digital, radio, and social, with a dedicated social film landing later in the month. Horror-trailer-style audio reinforces the cinematic tone across formats, ensuring consistency whether audiences encounter the brand on a billboard or through headphones.

The OOH executions lean heavily into mood and scale—large visuals, dramatic skies, minimal but punchy copy. In outdoor environments, that atmosphere cuts through.

The strategic shift is clear: Holts isn’t just selling a product. It’s building emotional memory.

Why It Works

Flat tyres are common—but the feeling they create is deeply personal. By dramatizing that moment, the campaign elevates the category.

Instead of talking about practicality, it makes audiences feel something first.

And as Holts’ marketing leadership emphasized, that was the goal: emotion first, brand second.

When fear turns into relief, the product becomes unforgettable.

Sometimes the smartest way to sell utility is to frame it as survival.