Halloween is the perfect time for brands to deploy their most impactful strategies, taking advantage of fear, humor and suspense to capture the audience’s attention. We have made this list with the 10 most creative Halloween marketing campaigns that have left their mark in recent years.
01. IT and the Balloons in the Sewers
In 2017, with the premiere of It’s remake, the producers decided to promote it by placing red balloons in sewers in different cities, creating the illusion that the clown Pennywise was lurking. It was a simple but terrifying action that went viral on social media and generated a wave of photos of people posing next to these disturbing balloons.
02. Airbnb and Dracula’s Mansion
For Halloween 2016, Airbnb offered a unique experience: spending a night in the famous Bran Castle in Romania, popularly known as “Dracula’s Castle.” The lucky winners were able to sleep in coffins and experience a night surrounded by an authentic horror environment, a campaign that stood out for its originality and its ability to capture the attention of the most daring users. Personally, we would have loved to have been able to live this experience.
03. Reese’s Candy Converter Machine
For Halloween 2018, Reese’s launched its “Candy Converter Machine” in New York, a vending machine that allowed people to exchange unwanted candy for Reese’s bars. This idea was an instant success and positioned Reese’s as the preferred brand for Halloween in the United States, with both adults and children sharing the experience on social media.
04. Burger King Disguised Itself as a McDonald’s ghost
For Halloween 2016, a Burger King restaurant in New York City dressed up as a “McDonald’s ghost” with a white sheet and the name “McDonald’s” painted on it in large letters. To top it off, a banner underneath read: “Boo, we’re just kidding. We still know you prefer a Whopper.” This touch of humor highlighted the rivalry between the brands (which often throw barbs at each other in their ads) and was widely shared on social media.
05. IT Ha Ha Ha Has to Be Heinz
In 2019, Heinz took advantage of the release of the movie It: Chapter 2 to launch a special edition of its classic tomato sauce under the name “Tomato Blood”. The campaign, called “IT Ha Ha Ha Has to Be Heinz”, played on the sinister aspect of the sauce, which resembles blood, inviting fans of the film and Halloween enthusiasts to use it as an accessory to their costumes. This limited edition became a success, highlighting Heinz in the context of Halloween and capturing the public’s attention in a fun and chilling way.
06. Netflix’s Dracula Series
For the launch of its Dracula series in 2020, Netflix created a campaign that perfectly captured the tone of the series. They installed stakes in a strategic position so that at night a vampire silhouette could be seen. The action caused a great visual impact and generated a high level of curiosity in the public.
07. IKEA and its “Fearneature”
IKEA launched its “Fearneature” collection for Halloween in 2020, which played with the idea that certain furniture and everyday objects could become disturbing in the dark. This campaign included images of products that seemed “scary” in a dark atmosphere, connecting the brand with a fun and unexpected twist on Halloween.
08. LG and the Scary Elevator
In 2012, LG launched a memorable Halloween campaign to promote the clarity of its LED screens. They installed screens on the floor of an elevator, simulating the floor breaking and users falling into the void. This terrifying prank was recorded and uploaded to social media, where it quickly went viral, showing the capacity and resistance of LG screens.
09. The Smile Movie
To promote the 2022 Smile movie, actors with disturbing smiles appeared at sporting events, staring into the camera for long periods. This action quickly went viral and attracted the attention of millions of people on social media, increasing curiosity and interest in the movie with a simple but chilling device.
10. Cheetos and its “Bag of Bones”
In 2014, Cheetos launched its special edition “Bag of Bones,” in which its snacks came in the shape of bones so that consumers could create a skeleton. This campaign stood out for its interactive and fun touch, capturing the spirit of Halloween and offering an experience that became popular among people of all ages.
From visual tricks to immersive experiences, these campaigns show us that Halloween marketing isn’t just about sales, but about creating memorable experiences that emotionally connect with consumers. Which of these campaigns did you find the scariest?
