Discover how brands are targeting adults with innovative Halloween marketing campaigns, from Six Flags' short films to Angry Orchard's prank packs.
Six Flags' short film drives young adults to theme parks
Angry Orchard frightens fans with Hide & Shriek Prank Pack
Snyder's of Hanover: Sweet Meets Salty
What we can learn from these marketing campaigns
As marketers carve out new strategies for Halloween, they’re finding an exciting revelation: the adult audience for spooky season festivities is growing. From carving pumpkins and corn mazes to Halloween parties and fall baking, Halloween is no longer a holiday focused primarily around kids. A recent survey by Ferrero North America reveals a significant shift, with 69% of adults buying candy even if they don’t expect trick-or-treaters, 58% decorating their house for the holiday, and 40% saying Halloween is their favorite holiday.
In preparation for the upcoming holiday, we’re sinking our teeth into three Halloween marketing campaigns that are taking a unique approach to get adults excited for the holiday.
Six Flags’ short film drives young adults to theme parks
Popular theme park franchise Six Flags took a new approach to promote their Halloween Haunt events. Their five-minute horror-comedy short film, “Tick, Tick, Tick” features a terrifying clown that’s targeting a group of young adults and pressuring them to get in their car to drive to Six Flags. This creative play stands out in a sea of typical Halloween-themed commercials and ads.
Stella Smith, vice president of advertising and creative services at Six Flags Entertainment Co., said: “Halloween is having a huge cultural moment, and for us the time was ripe to up the ante on how we engage with consumers and immerse them into our unique Halloween experience.” By leveraging storytelling and immersive experiences, Six Flags is tapping into the adult market’s desire for thrills and entertainment beyond traditional theme park visits. Because Halloween Haunt events are only available for a limited time, the company is also using FOMO (fear-of-missing-out) and exclusivity to encourage people to attend.
Angry Orchard frightens fans with Hide & Shriek Prank Pack
Although many would consider Angry Orchard’s hard ciders to be a treat, this prank pack is quite the opposite. These ciders seem ordinary, but once you open them, you’ll witness a surprise blood-curdling scream.
“Halloween is rooted in treats, tricks, and permission to be playfully unfiltered. With the Hide & Shriek Prank Pack, we channeled the true spirit of the season to encourage drinkers to take a bite out of their rebellious, prankster side in the name of Halloween fun,” said Matt Withington, senior director of marketing at Angry Orchard. This campaign brilliantly incorporates playfulness and surprise, appealing to adults who want to embrace their mischievous side this Halloween.
Snyder’s of Hanover: Sweet Meets Salty
Snyder’s of Hanover is putting a unique spin on Halloween traditions with their “Pretzelface” campaign. This misunderstood character was inspired by the iconic horror character “Scarface.” But, instead of being scary, he’s flipping the script on trick-or-treating by delivering pretzel treats directly to people’s homes.
Pretzelface is showing Snyder’s of Hanover fans his favorite sweet and salty recipes, including Monster Snaps, Mummy Rods, and Mini Ghouls— the perfect dessert to bring to any Halloween party. While Snyder’s of Hanover offers recipes year-round, these seasonal twists add a fun and festive element to their usual offerings. By adapting traditional Halloween elements for modern audiences, Snyder’s is creating a bridge between childhood nostalgia and adult tastes.
What we can learn from these marketing campaigns
These innovative marketing campaigns give us a new perspective and motivation to get creative with our strategy. Here’s what we took away from these brands:
- Halloween and other holidays offer a fun excuse to engage with your audience in a new way. It’s an opportunity to test which types of content resonate with your audience and what gets them excited to interact with your brand.
- Target audiences can change, and it’s important to notice when they do. These brands recognized the love adults have for Halloween, so they focused more on them than creating typical experiences for children.
- Aligning marketing efforts with timing and cultural relevance is a powerful tool. Understanding broader trends and consumer behaviors will make your brand more approachable and relevant to consumers.
The shift towards adult-oriented Halloween marketing reflects a broader trend of brands adapting to changing demographics and consumer preferences. It demonstrates the importance of staying attuned to cultural shifts and being willing to reimagine traditional approaches to holiday marketing.
As we look toward future Halloween seasons, the most successful campaigns will likely be those that blend creativity, interactivity, and a deep understanding of their target audience's desires for both fun and sophistication. These campaigns remind us that effective marketing is about more than just selling a product – it's about creating memorable experiences and fostering connections with consumers.
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