By Eesha Kothini, @eeshakothinti | Sussex Hamillton High School, WI
From burrito deals to ketchup turned “blood,” companies get creative every October, though not every idea is a treat. Check out the best campaigns that nailed it and the trick campaigns that missed the mark.
Treat Campaigns that Delivered
Chipotle: “Boorito” (2000-Now)
- Annual promotion where customers in costumes receive discounted burritos.
- Chipotle's customer engagement increases in October through this initiative, which pairs in-store discounts with the fun of dressing up. By attracting customers to the store and encouraging interaction with the brand, Chipotle creates a festive atmosphere and drives revenue growth.
Heinz: “Tomato Blood” (2020-Now)
- Rebranded ketchup as “blood.”
- Heinz employs effective strategies to promote their brand in October, including limited edition rebranded products and engaging campaigns. They challenge users to share their Halloween transformations using “tomato blood” ketchup, resulting in a fun and creative promotion that successfully boosts sales.
Lyft: “Haunted Rides” x Stranger Things (2017)
- Lyft collaborated with Netflix to promote Stranger Things through spooky car rides.
- This simple car ride transformed into a shareable Halloween experience that benefited both Lyft and the popular series. The collaboration created an engaging and memorable event, effectively promoting Lyft while capitalizing on the excitement surrounding Stranger Things through an interactive strategy.
Trick Campaigns that Missed the Mark
Reebok: “Pumpkin CrossFit Challenge” (2016)
- Reebok tried to launch a pumpkin-themed workout challenge, tying Halloween to their CrossFit audience.
- The campaign involved considerable effort and didn’t quite capture the Halloween spirit. Additionally, it lacked sufficient promotion, resulting in many people being unaware of the campaign. The execution fell short, leaving customers feeling disconnected from the theme.
Samsung: “Fright Mode” Phone Filter (2018)
- Samsung released a Halloween-themed filter as part of their Galaxy campaign.
- Samsung barely promoted the feature, so most Galaxy users never realized it existed. In addition to low promotion, the filter failed to encourage people to share content or interact with the brand, which is a crucial aspect of a successful seasonal campaign.
Pepsi: “Company Rivalry” Ad (2013)
- An ad meant to be a fun jab at Coke, portraying Coke as scary. The ad features Pepsi dressed up as Coke, wearing a cape for Halloween.
- The concept was confusing and unintentionally favored Coke over Pepsi due to the inclusion of the cape. Ultimately, many individuals perceived Coke as the hero, resulting in an unintended promotion of Coke instead of Pepsi.
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