Unpack your cape, wash out those plastic fangs – it’s time to get into Halloween marketing mode.

Traditionally a holiday celebrated outside of Australia, Halloween still brings out kids and teens to harass their neighbours for loot (generally of the sweet kind) under threat of ‘eggings’ or toilet paper sieges.

It’s also a holiday that allows the marketing fraternity to let their creatives go wild, as the following ads will attest.

Website Smashingapps.com has displayed 19 Halloween ads that brim with the freaky and verge on the plain disturbing. Heineken has a laugh at the old-school stereotypes, while the San Francisco Zoo unleashes its ‘spooky koala’.

“As we believe that strong advertisement is a fastest way to convey the message to the audience and if they are created for sharing the happiness and joy of the occasions and social events then the result will be more fantastic,” says the site’s disclaimer.

So bring on the wolfman, let loose your Saw killer – it’s time for some scaring!