Halloween is fast becoming one of THE biggest retail events of the year. Market research firm Mintel predicted that this year the UK would spend an estimated £419m on Halloween which is a 5% increase on last year. With this in mind, it’s more important than ever for brands to stand out at Halloween. We have rounded up a few of our favorite PR stunts & pranks from this year.
Reece’s
This Halloween, American chocolate brand Reece’s took all of the disappointment out of trick or treating this year with their Candy Converter vending machine. Trick or Treaters were encouraged to insert unwanted sweets into the vending machine which would then vend the brands desirable Reece’s cups in return.
Well done Reece’s, there’s nothing worse than a bucket full of below-par sweets on Halloween!
Burger King
Burger King unveiled their ‘Nightmare King’ in time for Halloween. The nightmare burger is green and is said to be “clinically proven to cause nightmares” due to its unique combination of proteins.
The video shows a number of subjects being fed the green burger before being hooked up to electrodes to monitor their sleep patterns.
Not sure that the burger will be a best seller but it’s a fun stunt!
Manchester Monsters
The rooftops & landmarks of Manchester hosted a collection of inflatable monsters as part of Manchester’s Halloween in the City event. The giant inflatable monsters were created by artists Filthy Luker & Pedro Estrellas and could be found all over the city.
These inflatables are absolutely fabulous and fun for all the family!
Marmite
Last but not least is the worlds most controversial spread, Marmite!
Marmite created 2 limited edition, collectible pots of Marmite for the Halloween season. One labeled Trick to ‘petrify a hater’ and the other labeled Treat to ‘spoil a Marmite lover’.
Marmite is continuing to cover all bases with its Love/Hate marketing strategy.
Jimmy Kimmel
Jimmy Kimmel‘s Halloween prank is in its 8th year now but it certainly still has legs! Every year he asks parents to tell their kids they have eaten all their Halloween candy and record their reactions. It’s safe to say the reactions are amazing, there are tantrums and some surprisingly mature responses too. This prank really brings the real meaning of Halloween to the forefront, which is that sweets are life!
So there are a few of our favorite PR stunts and pranks from this year. Before we go, we would just like to leave you with our favorite Halloween prank of all time, Mutant Giant Spider Dog by YouTube prankster SA Wardega. Its an oldie but a goodie!
