How Halloween Advertising Took Over The World Again
There was a time when Halloween didn’t just show up on October 31st. It took over the entire month. If you grew up in the eighties, nineties, or early 2000s, you probably remember that exciting feeling. The moment October rolled around, every commercial break, cereal box, and TV episode was suddenly filled with pumpkins, monsters, and glowing green slime. Halloween wasn’t just a holiday. It was a pop culture event that everyone looked forward to. (Me Included!)
When Halloween Was Everywhere
In the eighties and nineties, every major brand wanted to be part of Halloween. McDonald’s had its famous Halloween Happy Meal buckets that came in ghost, pumpkin, and witch designs. Hershey’s and Reese’s ran commercials that made you crave chocolate before you even finished breakfast. Count Chocula and Franken Berry turned breakfast into a haunted event. Even soda companies joined in with Pepsi and Coca-Cola, releasing limited-edition cans with spooky designs.
Fast food chains loved it too. Burger King had the Halloween Whopper with its black bun. M&M’s released Halloween editions with their characters in costumes. Walk into any store, and the shelves were covered in orange and purple packaging that screamed Halloween from a mile away.
Television was the real glue that held it all together. The Simpsons ran their annual “Treehouse of Horror” specials. Nickelodeon had “Nick or Treat” and “Are You Afraid of the Dark.” Disney Channel and Cartoon Network spent entire weeks airing Halloween-themed episodes and movies. It created this shared excitement that made October feel like a month-long celebration.
When the Magic Faded
Around 2012, that excitement started to fade. Commercials became more generic and focused on being sleek and modern instead of creative. Brands stopped doing big seasonal campaigns and focused on digital ads that ran all year long. Traditional TV started losing viewers to streaming, which meant fewer themed episodes and less shared excitement.
Halloween itself didn’t go anywhere, but the feeling around it did. The build-up wasn’t as strong, and the fun, goofy ads that made the season special were replaced by generic product posts. Marketing got too serious, and it stopped giving people something to look forward to each October.
The Modern Comeback
Now, Halloween is finally making a comeback. Hershey’s has brought back its classic trick-or-treat ads that look like something from the early 2000s. Reese’s leaned into humor with its “Pumpkin-Shaped Perfection” campaign. Progressive ran a commercial featuring Flo dressed as a witch. Even companies that have nothing to do with candy are getting in on it. State Farm ran a lighthearted Halloween ad about insuring haunted houses. Zillow made spooky-themed real estate posts about “haunted listings.”
Fast food and coffee chains are all back in the Halloween spirit, too. Burger King rereleased the Halloween Whopper. Dunkin’ and Starbucks brought back themed drinks, such as the Spider Donut and Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew, along with creative social campaigns. Streaming platforms like Netflix and Hulu even have Halloween sections filled with classics and new originals that keep the tradition alive.
The Internet Helped Bring It Back
Social media played a big part in this comeback. TikTok and Instagram made it easy for people to create and share their own Halloween content. People started recreating old commercials, doing candy taste tests, and showing off vintage decorations. That nostalgic energy spread fast. Brands saw how much people missed that fun side of marketing and decided to join in again.
Now, the internet feels a lot like how TV used to be. You can scroll through your feed and see the same excitement you once saw between Saturday morning cartoons. People are talking about candy, costumes, and Halloween-themed food again, and it feels like October has a real place in the world for the first time in years.
Halloween Is Fun Again
Halloween advertising works because it doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s creative, nostalgic, and full of spooky energy. It brings people together over a shared love of something silly and seasonal. After nearly a decade of Halloween being quiet, it’s great to see brands having fun again and giving people a reason to look forward to fall.
From candy companies and fast food chains to streaming platforms and even insurance ads, everyone is in on it now. Halloween has officially reclaimed its spot as one of the most exciting times of the year.
RackGenius will be launching our Halloween campaign this FRIDAY! So keep checking your email and all of our social media accounts to get in on the fun. Or you can always join our very active Discord community to get sneak peeks and other previews for current and future events. We can't wait to see you there!
