In the US alone, Halloween pet spending is forecast to exceed last year’s record high, reaching $710m (NRF, 2022). Smart brands are acknowledging the consumer desire to incorporate pets into celebrations (see Playing to the Pet Parents) with animal-centred initiatives that go beyond costumes, including Halloween grooming, trick training and dog-friendly neighbourhood treat maps.

Harnessing virtual worlds’ boundless visual and entertainment possibilities (a key advantage during calendar moments), agile brands are using Halloween to double down on metaverse experimentation. From beauty to snack foods, brands have created branded proto-metaverse environments within Roblox (capitalising on existing, kid-centric audiences), and Meta’s Horizon Worlds (ultra-immersive, but accessible only via VR goggles).

Smart brands from Heinz to Nyx are trailing social media and mixed-reality concepts. These run the gamut from out-of-home concepts (anamorphic billboards with QR codes for more follow-up engagement), to augmented reality try-ons and an early adoption of new, anti-perfectionism-centric social app BeReal. 

From luxury fashion to FMCG, brands are rolling out inclusive Día de los Muertos activations aimed at Hispanic audiences in both the US and Latin America. Tommy Hilfiger is demonstrating how to add seasonality to a permanent metaverse space, while Pepsi sub-brand Manzanita Sol has embedded engagement into Día de los Muertos packaging.

Shrewd hospitality brands are going full experiential for Halloween – harnessing local mystics and cultural power players to provide zeitgeist-relevant entertainment. The Standard hotel’s London party hypes its creative, subversive image, while British boardgame Cluedo’s self-referential murder-mystery stays trade on its heritage.

Shrewd FMCG and fashion brands are using Halloween – renowned for its throwaway culture (see Key Stats) and non-inclusive costumes– to demonstrate their eco-ethical credentials. This aspect of seasonal celebrations will only increase in importance. Initiatives include brands collecting and recycling candy packaging, adaptive and eco-friendly costume ranges, and thrifting tutorials.