Each year, Halloween proves that it’s far more than just a costume-candy event; it’s a marketing powerhouse. With an estimated $13.1 billion in consumer spending this year alone, Halloween has become one of the most lucrative and creative opportunities within the marketing calendar, with a whole host of brands putting their spin on this seasonal spooky moment.
From limited-edition product drops to ghoulish packaging revamps (pardon the pun), brands are using this fright-filled occasion to tap into the excitement, nostalgia, and playfulness that define the holiday. The demand for creative and spooky seasonal campaigns continues to surge, with 72% of consumers engaging with Halloween content and 70% of Gen Z shopping online for seasonal experiences, making Halloween a key seasonal moment for brands.
In this year’s round-up, we’re spotlighting all the brands that have leaned into the Halloween spirit to turn a seasonal holiday into a global marketing moment.
Fanta Unites with Universal Pictures to Spotlight Horror Icons
If there’s one thing Fanta goes big on each year, it’s their Halloween campaigns, and this year is no exception. For their first global partnership, Fanta is collaborating with Universal Pictures and Blumhouse to bring four horror icons together for the ultimate Halloween line-up. Horror icons such as Chucky, Freddy Fazbear, The Grabber, and M3gan are all united by one craving: Fanta. These characters will all be on the hunt for the same thing, ‘They Wanta Fanta’, with a series of experiences through the scannable barcode during the run-up to Halloween. Not only will this collaboration feature limited-edition Halloween can designs, but it will also unveil a new limited-edition flavour, Chucky’s Forest Berries.
IKEA provides Halloween Essentials
For the spooky season, Ikea has leaned into what they do best: home wear essentials with their simplistic yet effective campaign that offers “Halloween Essentials”, e.g. items to hide behind when indulging in your favourite scary movies. The campaign recasts everyday items, such as a pillow, as the unsung heroes of horror movie season, leaning into the universal feeling of hiding behind a cosy blanket while watching scary movies.
Disney+ Leaves Fans On The Edge of Their Seat
Disney+’s annual “Huluween” will have you on the edge of your seat with their latest design showcasing the official, EDGEOFYØR Seat that is ergonomically designed to leave you quite literally on the edge of your seat, “With Over 80 per cent of the seat severed and hacked away.” The promotional video shows a masked chainsaw man designing the chair to keep fans perched in discomfort while they stream their “Huluween” favourites.
M&M’s It’s More Fun Together Campaign
M&M’s fan favourite characters return when they receive an angry mob after they don’t refill the Halloween bowl with M&M’s. BBDO were the creatives behind this seasonal spot reintroducing the Halloween Rescue Squad, offering free candy bowl ‘top-ups’ for the third year in a row. These videos were also accompanied by a social first stunt with X Factor/TikTok icons Jedward. The film features the twins’ attempt to sit through a horror movie marathon with a bowl of M&M’s for support, encouraging others to participate in the #HauntedSofaChallenge.
Burger King: Vampires Have Feelings Too
In true Halloween spirit, Burger King has announced their latest Halloween campaign featuring a frightfully fun feast, the chain’s first-ever monster menu. The new monster menu turns four of Burger King’s fan favourites into limited-time Halloween editions. From a neon orange Jack-O-Lantern Whopper to coffin-shaped vampire nuggets, every item puts a playful twist on beloved classics. The brand has also produced shorts to accompany the new menu, highlighting that even the undead crave a Burger King. With a family of vampires shown indulging in Whoppers, as well as a family of mummies at the drive-thru.
Heinz Pays Homage to Vintage Horror for “Mayo Halloween”
Ketchup has long since been a staple during the Halloween season as fake blood; however, this Halloween, Heinz has steered away from their blood-coloured condiment and is instead focusing on its new creation, fit for everyone, even vampires: a limited-edition black garlic mayo. With the tagline “You think it’s ketchup, don’t you?” Heinz reveals its spooky new condiment by delving into vintage black and white horror in their Halloween short. Created by DAVID São Paulo, the campaign adapts a dark cinematic aesthetic, drawing clear references from vintage horror movie classics to immerse its viewers in the Halloween spirit.
Sour Patch Kids: The Very Big Kid
Sour Patches Halloween spot addresses the scariest situation every trick-or-treater dreads, ending the night with bad candy. Forget witches, ghouls, and vampires; ending Halloween night with unworthy treats is a nightmarish result for any seasoned trick-or-treater. However, Sour Patch Kids is on a mission to make that fear disappear. The candy brand has secretly stocked select homes with over 20,000 bags of its sour-then-sweet candy, and it’s marked with a dead giveaway that nobody can miss. Introducing ‘The Very Big Kid,’ Sour Patches’ 15-foot inflatable, created by DAVID Miami, standing outside of all houses, guiding trick or treaters to the house with the best candy.
Gushers Fear the Fruithead
Gushers are resurrecting a key piece of ’90s nostalgia with their “Fear the Fruithead” campaign. The nine-minute horror short, in partnership with Imagine Entertainment, showcases a snack thriller starring award-winning actor Bradley Whitford. Creepy oranges invade NYC and social feeds in the short film that reimagines the Gushers commercial that haunted a generation. The film comes in response to ongoing conversations online that the ad has been ingrained in fans’ nightmares since the ad aired. Therefore, Gushers are giving fans exactly what they want with this reimagining, with some humour thrown in that Gushers fans will love.
Cheetos x Wednesday
Cheetos are receiving a ‘hand’ from Netflix’s Wednesday in their latest Halloween spot. By enlisting Thing, a disembodied hand from the Gen Z hit Wednesday, Cheetos addresses the long-running discussion on cheetle (the orange dust that builds up on one’s fingertips while gorging on Cheetos). The campaign included OOH activations around New York, showcasing Thing break free from a Cheetos placement to hunt down cheetle around Times Square, defacing other brands’ billboards such as Gatorade. A cheetle trail of fingerprints also appeared across real-life NYC landmarks such as newsstands, taxis, and a statue of liberty model.
Capri Sun Serves Trick Or Treat Pouches
Capri Sun is serving up the biggest trick this Halloween season with a limited-edition trick-or-treat Capri Sun pouch that looks exactly like the regular one but is vacuum sealed from the inside, making it impossible to pierce.
Target x Stanley Brings Halloween Hydration
In a limited-edition Halloween collaboration, Target and Stanley have teamed up to introduce three new spooky designs: Hypnotic Green, inspired by Frankenstein, Spellcast Black, a night sky with moon, stars, and bats, and Spellcast Pink, a softer mix of pink and orange. In recent years, this has been one of the most anticipated fall drops of the spooky season, and these new editions certainly don’t disappoint with the new seasonal designs selling out almost immediately.
Dunkin’s Spider Donut Returns
Spidey D is back for another year, and with him returns the Munchkins Bucket and a brand new latte for Halloween. Despite the brand losing the Donut from their brand name in 2019, the company are still renowned for their iconic Donuts, therefore the return of the Spider Speciality Donut has fans in a frenzy. Dunkin has also revealed the return of a familiar eight-legged friend before the official menu announcement, Spidey D. To further celebrate the return of Spidey and his donut launch, the brand has released new merchandise that encourages fan buzz around the spider donut, such as the Spider donut Onesie.
