31 Halloween Ad Campaigns & Post Ideas to Die For
Spooky season is among us, becoming a marketing phenomenon, with 72% of Americans planning to celebrate Halloween, according to NFR’s 2024 Halloween Spending Survey. Halloween marks the first “holiday season” celebration, with spending expected to reach $11.6 billion in 2024. Brands and retailers can capture their audiences much earlier, with 47% of consumers starting their Halloween shopping before October, perpetuating Halloween ad campaigns’ longevity.
But Halloween isn’t just a frenzy in the US. Social media platforms are important for global Halloween marketing, with Instagram and TikTok being especially influential. Pop culture references, influencer marketing, and shopping inspiration are among the most dominant Halloween content.
What is the secret to Halloween campaign success? Considering the significant shift from in-person shopping/inspiration to online, meet your target audience in their preferred online communities. Halloween campaigns are possible beyond the retail and commerce space, so we have provided 31 Halloween ad campaigns that are scary good for any industry.
Want to download the full list of 31 Halloween campaigns to die for + 17 bonus post ideas? Download it for free here!
1. Arriiixo’s TikTok Halloween costume ideas
Sporting your Halloween costume is among the top ways to participate, with consumers estimated to spend $3.8B on costumes alone. Younger audiences flock to TikTok for DIY costume inspirations and last-minute ideas.
TikTok creator @arriiixo did just that, recreating ‘Mia Thermopolis’s’ iconic Princess Diaries outfits wearing Princess Polly clothes. In the caption, she shared her limited code for users to construct their wicked fit.
2. ASDA healthy Halloween recipes
We know that candy and chocolate are one of the main themes, thanks to trick or treating. Instead of marketing candies, Supermarket company Asda played on the popular idea of charcuterie boards in an Instagram reel, creating a healthy Halloween treats board.
While inspiring users to create themed treats beyond candy, the brand was able to incorporate its products and everyday groceries into its content.
3. Ash.reads.horror book recommendations
For all the “Book Tok” type people, creator @ash.reads.horror recommends her top horror and thriller books in an Instagram carousel. These books take place on or around Halloween to provoke excitement around the holiday.
Within the caption, Ash also shares a special discount to snag a deal on these books, sharing value and resources with her community.
4. Benkeenan’s local Halloween inspiration
From attending Pumpkin Patches to visiting haunted houses, how can you find these activities in your city? Creator Ben Keenan shares his local Seattle recommendations on Instagram, which are ideas to recreate for your community.
This encourages users to revisit your page for future recommendations, and can even boost your SEO on the app.
5. Blakeaustinink’s Halloween flash tattoos
Tattoo artist Blake Austin created “Halloween nostalgia” flash tattoos, encouraging his audience to book with his upcoming availability. Not only does this get people in the Halloween spirit, but showcases his unique designs.
6. Brittanyfrostdesign’s Halloween graphics
Graphic designer Brittany Frost published a carousel featuring one of her Halloween-inspired graphics. This post focuses on classic Halloween sweets – candy corn, Pillsbury Halloween cookies, and pumpkin pie – playing on the internet trend, “they hate to see me coming”.
This language resonates with younger online audiences, while the last image of the carousel connects with parents who can’t let their children eat all the candy.
7. Burger King’s then vs. now Halloween memes
Burger King’s X profile is funny, and sometimes unhinged, posting references to memes and cultural moments. This POV-type post shows a Whopper on September 30th at 11:59 pm compared to October 1st at 12:00am, featuring a purple-bunned Whopper.
The caption adds, “Watch the Addams Family”, hinting at a limited-edition Addams Family Whopper for the Halloween season.
a new family is taking over BK this season 🫰👑
watch The Addams Family 🖤 pic.twitter.com/fxEE4iL1wq— Burger King (@BurgerKing) October 1, 2024
8. Callagrace’s “Boo Basket”
Do you remember “boo-ing” your neighbors and friends? Creator @callagrace has brought back this idea, creating a “Boo Basket” for her girlfriend. This video inspires others to “boo” their friends, significant others, or coworkers, filling a basket with Halloween-themed goodies.
This is a fun content idea to recreate if you have Halloween-themed merchandise or products.
9. Chili’s UGC Halloween campaign
Chilli’s ran a UGC campaign on X, encouraging users to dress up as their favorite restaurant and order in. They also call users to tag Chilli’s in their “spooky Halloween pictures” to increase user participation.
10. Chipotle’s Spirit Halloween collection drop
Spirit Halloween embodies the holiday, a nostalgic, creepy, must-visit costume shop. Once a year these stores come alive, selling the year’s “hottest” Halloween costumes and decorations. Chipotle teamed up with Spirit to create a Halloween line that includes a Chipotle water cup, burrito, bag, fork, and napkin.
The idea is ridiculous but also hilarious. This campaign is another example of unhinged marketing’s influence and the power of brand partnerships.
11. CS Recruiting Halloween polls
Polling is a great way to gather user feedback and sentiment. CS Recruiting capitalized on LinkedIn’s polling feature, asking users their stance on candy corn. While LinkedIn is more professionally oriented, CS Recruiting took this moment to lighten up the space.
This shows that not all “creative” actions must be published on just X, TikTok, and Instagram. Your audience may appreciate content outside the norm, creating deeper connections and resonance.
Source: CS Recruiting LinkedIn
12. Dadsocial’s DIY decor inspo
Decorating for Halloween is always a blast, but the cost can add up quickly. TikTok creator @dadsocial told his wife he could build Halloween decorations for cheaper, so he recorded it to prove it. Using plastic Jack-o-Laterns and concrete to conjoin pumpkins, he created a pumpkin arch around their door.
This connects with users who want to create their own decorations or don’t have the budget to spend hundreds of dollars on Halloween decor.
13. Dcpubliclibrary Threads interactive
DC Public Library also leaned into the book idea publishing an interactive Threads post. The post asked users if they were reading any books that draw inspiration for their Halloween costumes.
Threads is an ideal platform for provoking interesting conversations and helping increase user engagement.
Post by @dcpubliclibraryView on Threads
14. Dollar Tree’s Halloween product feature
Speaking of cost-effective Halloween solutions, Dollar Tree published an Instagram reel with their top Halloween party decorations. This features spooky drinkware, cobweb baskets, and lollipop fingers to mention a few.
The Dollar Tree features the finished “party table” to further inspire users on how to decorate for their Halloween party.
15. Ella Frehtman’s LinkedIn product feature
Visual development artist Ella Frehtman weighed into the Halloween graphics, sharing her “kitties playing with the frogs” cartoons. Frehtman also promotes the upcoming Kilkenny Art Market, where she will sell her illustrations as stickers.
While this is a fun post to share her designs, it’s also a smart way to feature your work on LinkedIn for professionals to view. Promoting the art market will further encourage users in the space to attend and support.
Source: Ella Frehtman’s LinkedIn
16. EVITE’s Halloween movie calendar
I’m sure we’re all familiar with Freeform’s “31 Nights of Halloween” movie schedule, playing a Halloween-themed movie a night from October 1-31. Online invitations company Evite has created its own Halloween movie calendar, encouraging users to save the calendar to reference during the holiday season.
17. Feastables Halloween treats
TikTok account @feastables is the creator @Mr.Beast’s snack company. This video walks through baking pumpkin bread, featuring Feastable’s chocolate bar. Short-form recipe videos are highly valuable on TikTok, giving value to users in just a few seconds.
18. Five Below’s UGC product feature
Five Below, a discount store company, posted an Instagram reel using the text, “This is your sign to go on a spooky picnic this Halloween”. Using Five Below’s Halloween products, the UGC creator filmed the setup of her “spooky”, aesthetic picnic, mentioning Five Below.
19. IKEA’s Halloween collection
IKEA USA posted a TikTok flexing their latest Halloween collection, featuring their festive home goods and gadgets. Without even visiting the store, viewers can get a sneak peak into IKEA’s holiday products. This creates excitement and encouragement to get your IKEA decor before it’s gone.
19. Liquid Death Halloween collection drop
Liquid Death partnered with Martha Stewart this Halloween, launching the new “Dismembered Moments Candle”. Yes, this is indeed a real product that has sold out on the Liquid Death website multiple times. Liquid Death published this YouTube video with Martha, promoting the life-sized severed hand candle.
21. M&Ms vampire cookies
M&M posted an Instagram reel featuring a recipe to create “vampire cookies” with none other than M&M chocolates. This quick video gives users inspiration and the resources to create festive treats.
22. Michael’s DIY tutorial
Michael’s is the leading craft store, sharing inspiration for DIY crafts and projects. To get in the Halloween spirit, Michael’s posted an Instagram reel showing how to make a punch needle trick-or-treat bag.
Michael’s leveraged influencer marketing to share this high-quality content, contributing @allyblaireco as the artist and creator behind this video.
23. Nothing Bundt Cakes festive treats
Nothing Bundt Cakes comes at us with fresh Halloween treats for any mood – quiet nights, movie frights, bundt bash, or monster mash. The cake company joins in on the conversation, encouraging users to grab their “scary-good Bundts”.
24. OLIPOP costume ideas
Probiotic soda company OLIPOP has shared their Halloween costume ideas on TikTok. Can you take a guess? All the top OLIPOP flavors, of course! With outfit inspiration for Ridge Rush, Strawberry Vanilla, Crisp Apple, Orange Squeeze, and Vintage Cola, OLIPOP brings their products to life.
25. Paper Tiger Edinburg
Stationery company Paper Tiger posted on their LinkedIn, sharing their Halloween products. They also liked their website, landing on their Halloween items for purchase. Paper Tiger capitalized on LinkedIn’s linking capabilities to direct traffic to their website.
Source: Paper Tiger LinkedIn
26. Party City Halloween decorations
As it says in its name, Party City is all about supporting your celebrations. The brand posted a carousel on Instagram showcasing their buyers’ in-house Halloween decorations. This inspires users to recreate these designs and visit Party City for their supplies.
27. Sourpatchkids conversation starter
If you’ve seen @sourpatchkids or @nutterbutter social media pages, you will understand the tone of their posts. Sour Patch Kids uses colloquial terms to resonate with younger audiences, saying they are “too cringe” for chocolate and “too based” for gummy worms.
28. Spirit Halloween giveaway
Spirit posted an Instagram post announcing their gift card giveaway. 31 lucky fans can win a $1,000 Spirit Halloween gift card by following their account, liking the post, and tagging a friend you’re taking shopping. This is a creative way to give back to fans while reinforcing account engagement.
29. Uber’s Halloween riders
Uber’s X page compiled four riders’ tweets that expressed their embarrassment for wearing a Halloween costume in an Uber. We all know the awkwardness of wearing a costume when no one else is…
Uber used these experiences to shed light on these moments while reminding users to rely on Uber for a safe Halloween experience.
31. Walmart’s Halloween trend
Walmart brought their Halloween products to life, creating a meme featuring a stuffed candy corn and bat in “another universe”. This trend has been featured on YouTube, TikTok, and X, featuring clips of animals, people, and inanimate objects in pairs emphasizing their love for each other.
31. Walt Disney World’s Halloween character guide
Walt Disney World created a LinkedIn post around their latest blog, “2024 Guide to Halloween Characters at Walt Disney World”. This article lists where you can find all the characters around the park. This LinkedIn post drives traffic and visibility to the blog post, informing users of where to celebrate with their favorite characters this Halloween season.
Source: Walt Disney LinkedIn
Launching a Halloween campaign is a great way to connect with your audience, and participate in online trends. Download the full 31 Halloween campaign ideas list, which may include a bonus.
Happy Halloween, Metricoolers!
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