Halloween marks the dark prelude to the tip of year marketing bonanza that’s Christmas, and this year stood out in infamy with a sequence of high-profile gaffes from brands plenty of people would have thought would just know better.
Last month supermarket chains Asda and Tesco were forced to tug their respective “Mental Patient” and “Psycho Ward” outfits after coming under fire from the mental health lobby, which claimed the outfits further stigmatised people affected by mental illnesses.
The obligatory public apologies were duly made and Asda even tried to further distance itself from the PR gaffe by promoting its range of Halloween-themed, in-store Augmented Reality treasure hunts. But identical to any horror story, audiences remember the bad, and infrequently the best.
Similarly, online retail giant Amazon removed pages promoting a ‘Zombie-fied’ outfit of disgraced UK DJ Jimmy Saville, following an analogous public outcry.
However, on a more “refreshing” note, Carling marked Halloween with an internet video campaign created by the somewhat fittingly named, creative agency Creature (see below video).
Elsewhere, Marketing Week hands plaudits to online travel firm Booking.com, for its Haunted Destinations finder – a web portal that taps into the seasonal mood by encouraging ‘scare seekers’ to book stays in accommodation synonymous with things that go bump within the night (see bottom video).
Cadbury is additionally stepping into at the act with an in-store push to advertise its range of Halloween treats. The yearly push is backed by Twitter and Facebook activity promoting the seasonal sweets because the brand looks to entice fans who will little doubt take the to the streets later searching for tricks or treats.
Lyle’s has gone for the “if ain’t broke don’t fix it approach” for its seasonal push with the relaunch of its aptly-named limited edition Trick or Treacle version of its Black Syrup. Where food brands have opted to support their festive products with digital promotions, Lyle’s has opted against the move which can prove costly in its efforts to focus on younger shoppers.
Mobile phone network GiffGaff has launched a video, created in partnership with Fallon, to teach it takes guts to do mobile differently. Lots and plenty of guts.
Retailers also are getting into at the Halloween fun. Tesco has added a festive tab to its navigation bar that directs shoppers to its range of “spooktacular” treats. It’d be lacking the flair of alternative efforts, but for folks short of last minute snacks and costumes for his or her celebrations its a realistic tool which could help lift sales in October.
Online retailer Firebox has adopted an identical approach and grouped all its Halloween themed products under a #halloween hastgag.
