Rifling through press releases here in ESM HQ has, in recent weeks, generated the odd giggle, the occasional eye roll, and a nod of approval when the wordplay is just right.
What am I talking about? Halloween brand campaigns, of course.
Whether it’s a range of new trick-or-treat sweets or a pumpkin bonanza, big brands everywhere have copywriters dusting down their seasonal books of quips and sharing the spirit (sorry) of Halloween.
There are spooktacular savings and the usage of scarily as an adjective, where possible (such as ‘scarily good offers’), and any voice-overs for radio or TV campaigns appear to share a memo encouraging an emphasis on Os as ‘oooooooos’ – think mooooooooonster, with a haunting tone of voice to match.
Don’t forget slashing prices, bewitching bargains and unmasking deals.
There’s a very good reason why retailers invest so much into this type of seasonal marketing: because it’s big business – like frighteningly big.
The US-based National Retail Federation’s (NRF’s) latest annual survey, conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics, finds that early Halloween shopping is on the rise, with 47% of survey participants beginning their shopping before October.
Total Halloween spending is expected to reach $11.6 billion (€10.6 billion), after last year’s record-setting $12.2 billion (€11.24 billion).
Europeans are as much on board the ghost train as their US peers when it comes to Halloween goodies.
According to Statista, the UK’s spend this witching season has a projected estimate of over £775 million (€931 million) – a jump from 2022, but a slight drop, compared to the high projection of 2023.
Crunch the numbers further, to focus on food items, and we find that in the US, half of shoppers plan to spend $51 or more on sweets and candy, while 59% will spend that amount on food for Halloween, according to an Advantage Outlook survey.
A-brands have been making noises about their own successes in the lead-up to the 31 October event.
Earlier this month, Mars celebrated what it termed ‘Halfoween’ – October’s halfway mark to Halloween – with ‘spooktacular confectionery trends’.
The company reported that it is producing the most candy ever at its Halloween headquarters in Topeka, Kansas, this year.
While retailers bank on consumers liberally spending on treats, there is still a cocoa shortage crisis and price hike bubbling in the background.
To combat this, many large confectionery manufacturers like Mondelēz and Hershey’s have been churning out cheaper options, like jellies, liquorice and gummies, to offset any chocolate shortages on supermarket shelves.
When you consider the fierce competition, enormous consumer appetite and global popularity, you surely can’t begrudge a little overkill when it comes to advertising – and, let’s face it, there are some brilliant campaigns this year.
Take a look, if you dare!
