Key Takeaways

Halloween has matured into a standalone retail season – fuelled by creativity, community and the rise of experience-led consumption.
Cross-category potential is huge – from fashion and food to travel and pets, brands can activate around highly shareable niches.
Success demands more than pumpkins – inspirational content, social-first activations, and experiential campaigns cut through the noise.

Halloween: From Secondary Holiday to Seasonal Opportunity

For decades, Halloween has lived in the shadow of Christmas. The festive period, with its powerful combination of gifting, food, travel and retail activity, has long attracted the lion’s share of seasonal advertising budgets. Outside of confectionery and costume retailers, Halloween was often treated as a nice-to-have, not a must-have.

But that narrative is changing.

In a post-Covid world where consumers crave creativity, connection and experiences, Halloween has become far more significant. What was once seen primarily as an American cultural export is now firmly embedded in markets such as the UK and much of Europe, with growth year after year.

For advertisers, this presents a unique seasonal opportunity—one that sits neatly between back-to-school and Christmas, filling a previously quiet quarter in the retail calendar.

The Data Behind Halloween’s Growth

Recent behavioural trends highlight just how strong interest in Halloween has become:

Search growth: Searches for Halloween-related terms—costume ideas, themed recipes, decoration tutorials, and even “how many days until Halloween”—have grown steadily. Global searches for costume ideas are up by more than 60% compared with 2020, and family or group costume inspiration has increased by 90%.
Experiences matter: Map searches for “pumpkin patch near me” have doubled year-on-year. Consumers aren’t just buying decorations; they are seeking activities, outings and shared experiences.
Community and creativity: After years of social restrictions, Halloween’s sense of community and celebration resonates even more strongly. The holiday brings together fun, escapism and creativity—three qualities consumers actively seek out.

Put simply: Halloween has matured into a holiday season in its own right.

Why Brands Should Pay Attention

As David Ogilvy famously said, “If it doesn’t sell, it isn’t creative.” Halloween does both. It sells products across multiple categories, and it gives brands a creative licence that is harder to achieve at other times of year.

For advertisers, Halloween offers:

A clear theme: Unlike broader seasonal events, Halloween comes pre-packaged with recognisable symbols, aesthetics and language. Pumpkins, costumes, witches, skeletons—these icons are instantly understood worldwide.
A younger demographic pull: Halloween appeals strongly to younger consumers, including Gen Z and millennials, who enjoy both participating in and sharing the experience on social media.
Cross-category relevance: From fashion to food, retail to travel, Halloween provides opportunities to run themed activations that resonate without feeling forced.

How Brands Can Join the Fun

1. Become a Resource for Inspiration

Many of the top search queries in the run-up to Halloween focus on ideas rather than specific products. Consumers aren’t just buying; they’re planning, imagining, and creating.

Brands that position themselves as sources of inspiration—through lookbooks, how-to videos, Pinterest boards, or AR filters—become part of that planning process.

Example: A home décor brand might publish a “Halloween Room Makeover Guide” on Pinterest, or a beauty retailer could create TikTok tutorials for special-effects makeup. By helping consumers imagine what’s possible, brands naturally become part of the purchase journey.

2. Lean Into Niches

Halloween is no longer just for children trick-or-treating. It’s enjoyed by people of all demographics and subcultures. Pet costumes, gothic fashion, plant-based spooky recipes, family-friendly events, or adult-only parties—the niches are endless.

Rather than casting a wide net, brands can tailor campaigns to specific audiences:

A premium drinks brand can create Halloween cocktail recipes.
A pet retailer can run a “cutest pet costume” competition.
A fitness brand might offer themed workouts or challenges.

The more specific the approach, the more memorable the campaign.

3. Harness Social Platforms

Halloween is inherently visual, making it perfect for social-first campaigns. Platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and Pinterest are hubs of seasonal creativity.

TikTok thrives on challenges and trends. A branded hashtag challenge around costumes, makeup, or themed dance moves can spread quickly.
Pinterest remains the “hub of ideas” for costumes, crafts and recipes. Brands that create tailored content here can capture audiences actively planning.
Instagram Stories and Reels are ideal for behind-the-scenes content, flash promotions, and interactive polls (“Which costume should we wear?”).

For advertisers, paid social can amplify this content to reach niche groups already searching for inspiration.

4. Explore Experiential and Local

Offline activations are making a comeback. With pumpkin patches, haunted houses, and themed events more popular than ever, brands can connect with audiences in physical spaces too.

Partnerships with local attractions, limited-time pop-ups, or experiential marketing stunts (think spooky bus wraps or DOOH projections) can generate buzz while tying back to online campaigns.

5. Integrate E-Commerce

Halloween may be rooted in creativity, but it’s also commercial. Consumers spend on costumes, decorations, food, drink, and increasingly experiences. Brands should integrate shoppable formats—whether it’s click-to-buy Instagram posts, TikTok Shop links, or shoppable video ads.

Adding limited-time offers or exclusive Halloween bundles can create urgency and capitalise on the seasonal mindset.

Challenges for Advertisers

Of course, Halloween campaigns must be carefully handled. Pitfalls include:

Overdoing clichés: Simply adding a pumpkin graphic or orange-and-black colour scheme won’t cut through. Consumers expect more creativity.
Cultural sensitivity: Halloween traditions differ worldwide. Some audiences embrace it; others may not. Brands must tailor campaigns by region.
Short shelf life: Halloween has a narrow seasonal window. Campaigns must be planned early and executed quickly to have impact.

Final Word

Halloween may have once been overshadowed by Christmas, but it has now carved out a place as a major moment in the marketing calendar. With growing consumer interest, rich opportunities for creativity, and relevance across demographics, Halloween is becoming too big for brands to ignore.

The key is to think beyond pumpkins and costumes. Brands that position themselves as sources of inspiration, lean into niches, and integrate both digital and real-world experiences can unlock the full potential of the season.

This October, don’t just watch from the sidelines. Join the fun—and make sure your brand is part of the story consumers are telling.