Yes, there are more Halloween ads this year—here’s why

Brands have long created spooky campaigns at this time of year to delight consumers, show off their creative chops, portray an image of levity and fun and get people shopping for the holiday. But this year, Halloween fever seems to have hit overdrive. At Ad Age, we’ve been overwhelmed by the sheer volume of campaigns ranging from creepy to cute, from gory to silly. According to data from iSpot, there’s been a 2.9% increase in national linear TV ad airings of Halloween-themed ads in September and October 2024 versus the same months of 2023. Also read: How brands are celebrating Halloween this year So, what accounts for those hair-raising numbers? Check out the latest Ad Age events and award programs Halloween’s growth as a cultural moment Halloween ad spending is up in part because consumers are spending more on Halloween stuff. A GrabOn trend study found Halloween expenditures are projected to be $15 billion in 2024, an almost 23% increase from last year. That spending runs the gamut across ages and genders. Nine out of 10 Gen Zers and millennials in the U.S. said they were looking forward to Halloween shopping this year, with 83% of Gen X and 67% of baby boomers planning to join the festivities, the shopping information site shared in its blog post. And 86% of male shoppers in the U.S. planned to celebrate Halloween this year, compared to 91% of female buyers. That spending doesn’t eclipse Christmas, but Halloween is still significant in the U.S.—it’s the seventh most celebrated holiday in terms of consumer spending. Halloween also lets people and brands be a little wild and let loose, said Michael Dessart, president of Halloween House tourist attractions in New York and New Jersey. “Halloween is fun for people, whether you like to go to haunts and be scared to death or you just like to dress up in costumes,” he said. “Adults like to have parties, or you go out trick-or-treating with the kids. There is a little bit of something for everyone in Halloween. Experiences and escapism have also become incredibly popular over the last several years.” A CivicScience study conducted for Ad Age found that roughly one-third of U.S. adults who celebrate Halloween agree it’s a form of escapism. And those who celebrate Halloween are more likely to enjoy seeing Halloween ads as early as summer, CivicScience found. For brands, this is motivation to deliver experiences that focus on fun—limiting the stresses associated with curating the perfect holiday, while connecting creatively back to their product. For instance, Boost Mobile released a lighthearted comic spot this week telling the animated fable of “Hell Phone Bills” that bring chaos to a small town. The ad follows a spooky story format and is lightly gory but in a cartoony way—a strategy that Katie Flynn, the brand’s VP of marketing, said aids in positive sentiment and brand recall. “Halloween has developed a unique set of social pressures to deliver the perfect holiday with perfect costumes and Instagrammable home decor. We found that people are really seeking lightweight, entertaining content that taps into the fun of the season,” she said, adding that Halloween “lends itself to a unique style of entertainment.” For the creatives on the campaign, it was also “fun to dramatize” the idea that the big three wireless carriers—T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon—“charge an arm and a leg” in a literal way, said Trevor Kuhn, head of creative at Boost Mobile. Halloween was a time to do that without it seeming unusual. Elsewhere, Burger King launched a lineup of new menu items inspired by “The Addams Family”—Wednesday’s Whopper, Thing’s Rings, Morticia’s Kooky Chocolate Shake and Gomez’s Churro Fries. Led by Dentsu Creative, the campaign is an opportunity for the brand to try something more playful, a Burger King spokesperson said in an email. “Halloween not only lends itself to exciting menu innovations—when else could we introduce a Whopper with a purple potato bun with black sesame seeds?!—it also gives us an opportunity to have fun with our packaging,” the rep said. “We know Halloween is all about dressing up, so we created unique packaging for each of the four menu items and an Addams Family crown that let our guests have a full experience beyond just the food.” @burgerking 😍😍😍 ♬ SPONGEFUNK - badgo & DJ PORTU Decorate, if you dare While decorations have long been a hot Halloween seller, products launched in recent years—most notably Home Depot’s 12-foot Skelly skeleton—have boosted interest in new products. Lowe’s has seen increased demand from customers for Halloween earlier and earlier each year, which is why it launched its Halloween and fall collection in June, said Jennifer Wilson, the home improvement chain’s chief marketing officer. “The central trend of Halloween is about expressing creativity and specifically, consumers expressing their creativity with their home and in partnership with their kids, even,” Wilson said. “Halloween is one of those times of year that can spark fun for all. Leaning into Halloween also makes for great engagement across our brand as consumers check in for limited-time and trending products.” Lowe’s has created immersive in-store experiences so shoppers can touch and see products in real life, including haunted-house-like experiences at select stores with giant Halloween animatronics. It’s planning a similar activation for the holiday season, Wilson said. A-List & Creativity Awards Enter for a chance to be recognized as the best in advertising Submit your entry here Halloween is for everyone Halloween participation is hardly limited by category. Dessart of Halloween House told Ad Age that he’s had advertisers ranging from candy to insurance sponsor his experiential “houses.” The Halloween House business performs as well as the company’s Christmas House installations in winter, he added. While typical Halloween expenditures include costumes, decorations, candy and greeting cards, other categories people spend on include transportation to and from experiences, food during outings, drinks for parties and more, according to the GrabOn study. Last year, the average American spent around $108 on Halloween shopping, almost 8% higher than the previous year, according to GrabOn. In 2024, that amount is expected to pass $115. For brands, that means putting in extra effort to be at the top of everyone’s minds this Halloween season. “Halloween treats go beyond candy and trick or treating. We also want to fit into your Saturday night Halloween party or your neighborhood’s fall festival,” said Lauren Eni Canseco, VP of brand strategy at Dietz & Watson. The deli meats and cheese brand launched ads this month featuring its recurring “Gabaghoul” character. “We’ve been activating around Halloween for several years now,” Canseco said, as the brand sought ways to promote its brand for more occasions. “Now, people look forward to what we’ll do next, so we enjoy finding fresh and spooky ways to delight them.” Ad Age Leading National Advertisers 2024 U.S. ad spending, rankings, analysis and profiles for the biggest marketers Click here

Yes, there are more Halloween ads this year—here’s why

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