A New Era of Terror: MOCEAN’s Fresh Take for Pretty Little Liars

The impact of key art in generating excitement and anticipation for entertainment releases is something that can’t be overstated, and MOCEAN‘s campaign for HBO’s Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin is a perfect example of this. Recently submitted to the Graphis Poster 2024 competition, this campaign features five expertly crafted posters that skillfully blend elements of classic slasher posters capturing the gritty and bloody tone of the show while appealing to younger viewers. By paying careful attention to every detail, MOCEAN has again demonstrated why they are considered one of the industry’s top creators of killer key art.

By: MOCEAN

When HBO Max came to MOCEAN with a request to create a campaign to kick off the newest installation of the Pretty Little Liars series, the same question kept popping up: How to leverage this new series to connect a seasoned fanbase while appealing to a new generation of horror enthusiasts? Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin is the 4th installment of the Liars series, and while the general premise remains the same—a group of high schoolers is targeted by an unknown assailant and forced to unravel a tangled web of secrets to survive—this new addition was developed with a much darker tone than previous volumes.

Drawing on inspiration from classic slasher posters, MOCEAN set out to create teaser art that encompassed the gritty, bloody design of the show while keeping the tone in line with a younger audience fanbase. Beginning as a collection of rough thumbnail sketches, the designs were then submitted to HBO Max for approval. Afterward, the concepts were then professionally photographed to be used for the final composites. The result was a highly stylized, photorealistic execution that delivers a bone-chilling preview into the chaos that awaits the newest set of Liars and gets fans excited for what comes next.

Within each of the five artworks, the series’ high school backdrop is front and center, and viewers are teased with snippets of the series “big bad,” a mysterious villain whose face is covered with a mask. Furthering the design element were copy pairings that incorporated the “A” to ensure a cohesive campaign throughout all the elements. Ultimately, MOCEAN’s utmost attention to detail and dedication to creating a uniform approach reinforced the power of key art and its impact on amplifying excitement for brands and entertainment. After all, when it comes to creating key art, MOCEAN’s killer at it.

See more horror-related poster art here.

To see other Poster 2024 entries and to submit your own work, click here.