What Scares Up A Spooktacular Halloween Ad?

The ghosts and ghouls are ready to rampage once again this October as Halloween looms, allowing brands to showcase their more sinister sides. It’s still very much an American occasion, but one that has shown signs of growth in the UK in recent years.

This year, campaigns from Heineken (Strongbow), Columbia Sportswear, Coca-Cola (Fanta), STAMMA and Sky Cinema have been running - showcasing that this is about more than celebrating a one-day event. It’s a global movement of costume planning, parties, and scaring up a storm for children and adults alike.

“Halloween is a fantastic event for retailers and wholesalers to get involved and have fun with, as adults up and down the country look to celebrate, dress up and socialise with friends and family,” says Rachel Holms, Cider brand director at Heineken UK.

It's also an occasion where brands and creatives get a chance to play on their dark sides, prompting many into irregular partnerships while also often tapping into humour rather than fear.

Some of the industry's top creative leaders outline what they believe makes a great Halloween campaign and choose some of their favourites too.

Owen Lee, Chief Creative Officer, FCB London

I was in the US in the second week of September, and pumpkins were already appearing on people’s porches. When it comes to Halloween, the Americans are all in, and that’s true of their advertising, too. Big American brands aren’t afraid to fully embrace the horror genre, and they show no fear of scaring the hell out of their customers. Whereas in the UK, we rather politely dip our toe into the ghoulish water.

There have been some fun activations like Marmite 'Trick or Treat Yourself', but when it comes to Halloween TV ads we aren’t really in the same league. Sainsbury’s’ 'Your Halloween Nightmare' spot from a few years back was nicely observed. The insight was good and indeed — before having kids I, too, turned out all the lights to pretend I wasn’t in — but compared to Uber’s 'Don’t Run Out' spot, it’s a little tame. But then, perhaps that’s down to the UK advertising police who banned Spotify’s 'Killer Songs You Can’t Resist' ad because it might scare children — heaven forbid we do that on Halloween!

My personal favourite is Burger King’s 'Come as a clown. Eat like a King'. It’s full of horror movie tropes, it continues the brand’s tradition of trolling McDonald’s at the perfect moment, and the line is a masterclass in copywriting.

David Shirley, Creative Director, Pablo

Halloween is unique among holidays - the black sheep of the family. While Christmas and Easter are dishing out goodwill, gifts and gooey chocolate, Halloween's up in her room with the curtains drawn, listening to The Cure and applying black lippy. While Valentine's Day is blowing kisses, Halloween's biting necks. Or eating brains. Dealer's choice on that one.

It has a dark side the other holidays can't deliver (even if Santa does see you when you're sleeping and knows when you're awake). So, it feels like a miss when Halloween advertising doesn't make the most of that. We don't want cheesy, cute or sweet. That's those other holidays. We want a scare, we want drama. And if you can do that while also delivering something true to your brand – you'll be dining out on necks and brains all season long, my friend.

A few years back, Burger King faced up to their greatest fear - clowns. In a creepy takedown of their nemesis, McDonalds - they invited customers to 'Come as a clown. Eat like a King'. It was spooky, it was irreverent, and it was true to their tradition of flame-grilling the opposition. All while delivering a free burger offer to customers willing to don clown makeup and embrace the occasion. It's hard to think of a campaign that's done a better job of hammering a stake through the heart of the spooky season.

Also, can we all agree clowns are pretty messed up?

Juliana Paracencio, Executive Creative Director, VML UK

Halloween is a creative playground for brands. It’s basically a free pass to get weird, wonderful, and a little bit mischievous. People want to be surprised this time of year, and it’s the perfect excuse for brands to dress up too, with playful reinvention or simply having a bit of fun while joining the cultural conversation.

The Halloween campaigns I always look forward to are the ones that tap into pop culture in a smart way. The ones that feel like they just 'get' the moment.

Burger King dressing up as McDonald’s will always be the gold standard for me. It pops up on social every year (how has it been nine years already?), and it still makes me laugh. It’s bold, instantly iconic, and so spot-on for BK’s tone that I remember feeling genuinely jealous when I first saw it. It’s going to take something truly brilliant to top that one, but I look forward to seeing what tricks brands have up their sleeves this year.

Carren O’Keefe, Chief Creative Officer, Digitas UK 

Halloween is about fun. Whether the tone of that is spooky, scary or silly - there should be a playfulness to it that doesn’t take itself too seriously. However, it’s easy to fall into the typical tropes and clichés. The best ads make me feel something but mostly the surprise me. One of my favourites recently was last year’s ‘Home of Halloween’ spot for Ireland Tourism. I didn’t know Halloween originated in Ireland, did you? The surprising truth mapped with incredible craft hit the mark for me. 

James Woods, Executive Creative Director, Edelman London

When we observed how kids approach Halloween for our own clients, one thing stood out: when they’re excited about something, they go all in. Maybe as marketers we could learn a thing or two.

If you want to be in Halloween, you need to do more than just join the conversation. You have to go ‘all in’. Bring something new. Something exciting. Just making your usual products look spooky? That’s adding to the noise.

That’s why, for our client HARIBO, instead of dressing up our usual offering, we created a Halloween emergency service — a fun way to help grown-ups who run out of treats. It was unexpected, useful, and totally in the spirit.

So, this Halloween, don’t just show up. Surprise people. Add something new. And don’t think you can hide behind the curtains with the light off. Be more kid about it.

William Cottam, Creative Director, adam&eveDDB London

A good Halloween ad takes something we all know and love and twists it in a way we don’t see coming. It’s original, funny, and ideally a little unhinged. 

The trick (and treat) is standing out not by shouting the loudest, but by being the most entertaining thing in the room, especially now with social media flooding everyone’s eyeballs with content. It’s got to feel special, like a surprise you didn’t know you were waiting for. 

One of my favourites is Snickers’ 'Horseless Headman'. It’s the perfect mix of smart and stupid. Instantly memorable, totally unexpected, and exactly the kind of idea that reminds you why originality wins.