When I was a kid, Halloween didn’t exist in Chile—not in advertising, communications, the food industry, or anywhere else. In fact, I still remember a famous mayor who, amid the skepticism and mockery of the rest of the country, randomly decided that the humble town of Pelarco would be the national capital of this holiday, which originated from traditions immigrants brought to the U.S. and, of course, turned into a date with a clear objective: a new opportunity to sell products.
Time proved Pelarco right, and today it’s a popular holiday in our country, but… are we truly making the most of it in creative strategies? For the food industry, it’s THE opening to market their sweets in a different way (aside from the eggs) since they had to phase out their tigers, mascots, and toys throughout the year to make way for labels. And yes, they do it, but at the most basic level.
Globally, it’s a marketing Super Bowl: limited-edition products that are pulled from the market after the weekend, collectible editions of all kinds that play on the public’s FOMO (fear of missing out), and even post-sales campaigns like the cosmetics industry promoting makeup removers or toothpaste that appeal to children’s dental health. Some memorable campaigns include Martha Stewart’s candle for Liquid Death (yes, the water brand that changed all the industry standards), Heinz launching the same ketchup we all know as “Tomato Blood” (with a vegetarian vampire influencer), or Burger King changing the color of their products to give them a “creepy” vibe—just examples of the endless opportunities.
While, yet another year, I see a couple of witches at the supermarket and brace myself for at least one egg thrown at my window, I can’t help but wish that Halloween wasn’t just about sweets and that, creatively, we could choose the trick instead.
LINKS:
Martha Stewart for Liquid Death
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueEKYyzMdKA&t=6s
Tomato Blood
