General Mills‘ Monster Cereals (1971-1987)
Halloween is an essential part of American pop culture. In our country, it is more of an adopted tradition related to the marketing of specific brands and in this context, to the advancing globalisation. In the USA we encounter a number of icons that are quite closely linked to this spooky holiday, and it is therefore not surprising that they have appeared repeatedly in TV commercials since time immemorial. Monster Cereals are breakfast cereals that are not normally sold anymore. But they always appear on store shelves during the Halloween season, and for good reason. There are several lines, and each has its own mascot. These are animated parodies of well-known horror characters. For example, Count Chocula can be none other than the eponymous Count Dracula, while the stitched-together giant Franken-Berry is a fruity paraphrase of the famous monster Dr. Frankenstein. The Boo-Berry monster reminds many of Casper the ghost or any other inhabitants of the ectoplasmic world. In short, there are a whole host of them and for many decades Monster Cereals have been intrinsically linked to Halloween celebrations. And since there have been many more of them over the years, you can still count on cereals with Count Chocula, Franken-Berry or Boo-Berry to be reliably sold out on the eve of the Day of the Dead.
Video: Monster Cereals Commercials Skit
Reese’s – Count Dracula (1990)
Although Reese’s are not as massively popular in the Czech Republic as in the USA, we cannot ignore the fact that they are increasingly finding their way onto the shelves of Czech supermarkets, especially in recent years. Chocolate cups filled with peanut butter is a combination that is irresistible not only for children but also for many other diners. However, there has been a long-running argument in the US for decades about the best way to eat these cups. On one side is the camp that tastes the chocolate first, and then goes for the buttery filling. The other camp categorically rejects this and thinks that peanut butter takes precedence in this case. The world’s most famous vampire, Count Dracula, joined the debate in a classic 1990 advert. And his answer probably won’t shock anyone. Of course, peanut butter takes precedence, because it can be sucked out just like the blood of the victims of his bloodthirsty rampages. Whether that is information you can’t live without is debatable. But if Dracula or another vampire ever comes knocking on your door, you can at least try to distract him with a popular delicacy before he targets your artery. That will definitely come in handy.
Video: Reese’s – Count Dracula (1990)
Snickers – Halloween Grocery Store Lady (2010)
Although it is not customary in the Czech Republic, the “trick or treat” tradition – the going around the houses in the neighbourhood by little trick-or-treaters hoping to maximise their bounty of all sorts of sweets for the evening – is inherently linked to Halloween celebrations in the US. Logically, this symbolism is also reflected in television commercials in many modifications. For example, it was captured with humour by an advertisement for the Snickers chocolate and peanut butter bar, which in 2010 featured a scary giantess in a mask shopping in the candy section. Mrs Jensen encounters this strange looking figure who throws massive quantities of Snikers bars into her cart. Unsurprisingly, Mrs Jensen is horrified by the encounter, and so she does not dare to protest against the excessive purchase. Trick-or-treaters are known to be cunning. And that is also true in this case. The frightening lady is their creation – a couple of kids have stood on each other’s shoulders and wrapped themselves in a mask and a strange faux-fur housecoat. Why? The reason is quite simple - Mrs. Jensen’s home is on their route, so they wanted to make sure that the treat would be to their liking. This ad humorously plays with established stereotypes and has been so successful that it has swelled to viral proportions across traditional and social media. The prestigious culture magazine Huffington Post considers it to be one of the best Halloween ads to this day.
Video: Snickers – Halloween Grocery Store Lady (2010)
Dirt Devil – The Exorcist (2011)
Another extremely popular horror theme is possession by the devil. Especially during the spooky season, it is useful to know how to react in such situations. What you will probably think of first is to call a specialist for help. One such exorcist is engaged in the Dirt Devil vacuum cleaner commercial, in which he faces perhaps the most challenging case of his career. But given the nature of the evil present here, he may not come up with any effective solution. For he would first have to deal with the cute old lady doing her autumn cleaning one floor up, which has unforeseen consequences thanks to the incredible pull of the vacuum cleaners made by this brand. The hilarious short film proves that in the marketing world, Halloween is no longer the domain of companies that make candy or other products traditionally associated with the holiday by customers. On the other hand, it is clear that vacuuming will always be necessary, no matter if it is Halloween, Christmas, Easter, or any other seasonal occasion.
Video: Dirt Devil – The Exorcist (2011)
LG – So Real, It’s Scary (2012)
If you are looking for an unconventional Halloween ad idea that is not full of the usual clichés and classic themes, think of the timeless classic from tech innovator LG. Back in 2012, it came up with an interesting experiment that is both scary and sophisticated. The entire presentation was used to promote new IPS monitors that promised an even more faithful and authentic experience than older technology. The protagonists of the TV advert found this out in one of the worst possible ways - literally, as this little experiment caught them mostly on their way to work. Imagine you are in an elevator and after a while the floor collapses under you. Not literally, of course, it was just an optical illusion, which was modelled thanks to LG’s IPS monitors. Thanks to the hidden camera installed, you can see that this is definitely not the best of experiences. But the result is a very memorable and distinct Halloween ad that is sure to entertain... or at least to evoke a certain amount of empathy. Because be honest - who would like to experience something like this?
Video: LG – So Real, It’s Scary (2012)
Booking.com – Haunted Hotels for Halloween (2013)
At first glance, it may seem that Halloween ads have to be predominantly funny. While they often work with a certain gloomy atmosphere, they usually arrive at some kind of amusing denouement that quickly dispels any curtain of fear. But Halloween does not have to be primarily hilarious or cute. Online accommodation platform Booking.com has understood this, and in its 2013 presentation, it has adopted the tradition of audience favourite horror films set in cursed, abandoned or haunted hotels. You can even find a number of them among the listings on Booking.com, and you can easily book a stay there. But after seeing this ad, you might want to reconsider your decision. It is clear that the ad is trying to stick to classic genre practices – there are quick cuts, high-pitched tones, or self-activating appliances. Everything depicted ultimately leads to the key question of whether the viewer is brave enough to volunteer for such a vacation. Would you dare too? The offer is still open...
Video: Booking.com – Haunted Hotels for Halloween (2013)
GEICO – Good Choices (2014)
A favourite narrative trope of slasher horror films is that most of their protagonists have not had much common sense. If you present them with a major choice, in most cases they will tend to choose the worst possible solution that is currently on offer. The same is true of the bunch in the horror short film, which is, perhaps surprisingly, a TV commercial for GEICO, an American firm specialising in car leasing and insurance. What you are watching plays out roughly as you would expect, but you might be surprised by the apt reference to the advertiser’s established slogan, which promises that you can’t make any bad decisions with it... and you might even save up to 15% on your insurance. The spot reduces the whole horror atmosphere to absurdity as the protagonists not only know that hiding behind a chainsaw wall is a disastrous idea but also actively reject the idea of driving away in a car parked nearby, because after all, it is not a bad idea at all. That is the bane of deciding between several options under pressure. But if you partner with GEICO, even the worst-case scenario cannot throw you off.
Video: GEICO – Good Choices (2014)
Netflix - Netflix & Chills (2018)
Wordplay is one of the most reliable strategies ever for staying true to your brand during Halloween (or other seasonal events) while differentiating yourself enough to be memorable to your customers. The traditional Netflix & Chill tagline can be quite easily given a Halloween touch by adding a single letter, thus changing the whole meaning. The new version evokes our body reaction when exposed to emotions like fear or terror. It is a variation that has been proven over the years, as the massively popular streaming platform always offers its customers special playlists full of horror classics and lesser-known indie productions at the end of October. While the Netflix & Chills campaign changes every year, the original version was probably the most effective. It works both with Netflix’s content database and the aforementioned wordplay (for English speakers embellished by a paraphrase of another popular tagline). The product is promoted directly by the content. It is not an advertisement that could be blamed for being overly intrusive even by today’s standards. The successors of the original idea may have already abandoned this strategy a little and involved far more original creative, but nevertheless, 2018 is the year when the season of “chills” originated.
Video: Netflix – Netflix and Chills (2018)
IKEA – The Shining (2019)
Being stuck in an IKEA store overnight - a dream come true for some, a nightmare for others. But of course, the Swedish chain was more intent on creating a spooky atmosphere for Halloween 2019, taking inspiration from the iconic “hallway” scene in Stanley Kubrick’s legendary horror thriller The Shining. But even on this occasion, the marketers did not forget that IKEA is a brand mainly for families, which is also true for the tradition of celebrating the spooky holiday. A boy on a bicycle rides through the abandoned displays at night. Their composition is surely familiar to anyone who regularly shops at IKEA. Towards the end of the ride, however, his path is blocked by two stiff figures... who, after leaving the fantasy world, become the boy’s parents again and the crisis is averted. The combination of gloomy atmosphere with a funny punchline undoubtedly worked perfectly, but it should be noted that it was also a hit in terms of marketing. The attentive viewer will not miss the fact that the shopping gallery tour is literally overflowing with popular products of the Swedish chain. IKEA followed this up with a number of other marketing activities, such as a competition for discounts and prizes, in which the winner was the one who was able to identify the most product lines present. Now that is what you call a truly subliminal Halloween ad!
Video: IKEA – The Shining (2019)
Burger King – The Call (2023)
The available data suggests that we can look forward to a really rich Halloween this year, even a record-breaking one in the post-Covid world. The US National Retail Federation even estimates in its report that 73% of Americans will actively participate in the festivities this year, the highest proportion ever. At the same time, it is estimated that more than USD 286 billion will enter the economy during this period, an increase of 15% year on year, and also a record amount. It is therefore logical that the classic brands cannot miss the chance. Look at the fast-food chain Burger King, which undoubtedly has a lot of experience with Halloween campaigns. This year, it has decided to pay homage to all the horror classics, but the most obvious inspiration in its Halloween 2023 ad is the cult horror films The Circle and The Scream. The clip itself is once again of a high filmmaking standard in terms of technical and creative execution. The fact that it was filmed on the set of another cult horror film, Jeepers Creepers, is the icing on the cake. All of this is designed to draw attention to the special Halloween offerings - the popular ghost buckets and the popular Ghost Pepper variation of the classic Whooper sandwich. As an extra bonus, you can also order delivery with a spooky phone call on the BK website. Fast food Halloween immersion has never been bigger!
Video: Burger King – The Call (2023)
Halloween is simply a pop culture event. This is also evident in the far-reaching influence this Anglo-American tradition has around the world today. In many countries, the holiday has been adopted as their own, and while no country can match the United States for market size, it is increasingly clear that, at least in marketing, these Halloween messages are now universally understood. Czech All Souls’ Day might be envious of that success, but the nature of the Czech holiday is completely different. After all, it may not be a bad idea to have All Souls’ Day for a quiet remembrance of the dead before we enjoy a full-on American-style Halloween with all kinds of monsters and imaginative marketing in the style of the ten good practice examples mentioned above.
