Halloween is celebrated all over the world — in some countries, like the USA, more elaborate than others. While the kids scavenge around to get sweet rewards for their homemade costumes and ring on doorbells, crying "trick-or-treat”, the salaried adults get absorbed in huge spending sales. Because, facts are facts: if there is an excuse to celebrate or make money, it will be seized.
The celebration of Halloween in the US has a projected income of over $9 billion this year. Even though it is not such a big celebration in South Africa (yet), there has been a definite increase in revenue over the past few years. The revenue flows include, but are not limited to, candy sales, costume hire, events, decorations, video games and much, much more.
So, let's look at some of the frighteningly successful Halloween campaigns of the past.
In 2017, Dior launched a Halloween campaign that featured the influential supermodel, Bella Hadid, showing off her Halloween make-up skills. They used various social media channels and hashtags to promote these videos and spread their digital footprint.
Burger King had a video and TV ad campaign that went viral. It had people running, not only for their lives, but for a free Whopper burger. To qualify for the free burger, customers had to go to selected stores dressed as a clown.
Booking.com seized the opportunity to capitalise on Halloween with their “Stay if you dare” campaign in 2013. They created a filter on their site where you could search and book a room in a haunted hotel. Audiences were intrigued and users were all over their site.
Velocity Media offers several marketing services. Platforms vary from newsletters, features on our online platforms such as Joburg.co.za or Pretoria.co.za, social media marketing on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn & SMS marketing. The South African market is easily convinced to spend money. The slightest mention of a sale or a special offer of any kind triggers their brain to release endorphins, the purses and wallets gets pulled closer and the banks cringing.
The campaign possibilities are infinite. Whether you are offering scary good deals or simply attracting new eyes to your store / website, the big question is: Trick or Treat? You might just miss out on an opportunity to increase sales and get rid of burning inventory before you stock up for the black Friday sales.