Halloween 2020: The Treats are Alive

The spookiest day of the year has nothing on the horror show that all of 2020 has been, but it’s still a time where people are craving some normalcy. While we’ll likely see smaller parties and limited trick-or-treating, Halloween is still also the sweetest day of the year: the holiday remains an opportunity for marketers to reach candy-loving consumers, and tricky times means that our industry has to be a little more creative.

Here are some ways brands are livening up Halloween, and bringing us the treats we could all use a little more of:

Digital Delights

Dressing up for free Chipotle has become a Halloween tradition. Though Chipotle opted to cancel for safety reasons, they won’t let down “boorito” loving fans. Instead, they’re going virtual and offering consumers a chance to “virtually trick-or-treat” for half a million buy-one-get-one entree free codes via text.

Also embracing technology is Mars Wrigley, which introduced a virtual “Treat Town” for revelers to get in the Halloween spirit digitally and allows users to decorate doors, create an avatar, and host trick-or-treaters. But rest assured, candy IRL is still part of their activation: users can earn credits that can be exchanged for sweets in stores or online – giving users a dose of digital fun with a sweet reward.

Reese’s Returns From the Grave

Reese’s made waves with their vending machine launched for Halloween 2018. As a favorite Halloween candy, Reese’s knows what the people want, and are delivering once again in 2020. The Reese’s Robotic Halloween Door is taking technology to the next level in a way that is sure to be a hit: robotic doors will be placed throughout neighborhoods, and those who find the doors will be treated to a king size Reese’s after saying “Trick or Treat.” Talk about taking the joy of finding Reese’s in your candy haul to the next level!  

Here for the Boos

A good pun makes for that much more fun of a Halloween activation, so have to hand it to Dunkin Donuts for their new ghost pepper donuts. Not only is the flavor – ghost pepper, cayenne and strawberry frosting – unexpected, but the ghost pepper usage ties it creatively to Halloween.

And seconding the “boos” are special edition Hocus Pocus-themed wines. Perfect for pairing with a classic Halloween movie and candy, the release is a timely throwback guaranteed to make millennial covens everywhere cheer.

Whether you’re participating in trick or treating or stocking up on treats for a scary movie night in, candy is thankfully here to make sure Halloween isn’t cancelled completely.  

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