Seven Spook-tacular Halloween Stunts

The UK’s fascination with Halloween might not yet have reached the same level as the US, where it’s a $12bn event, but there’s no question that it’s bigger business than ever, with brands increasingly looking for ways to tap into seasonal spooky trends.

So, before we tuck into the Bonfire Night toffee apples and start eating the Advent calendar chocolates, let’s kick off with the trick-or-treat candy!

As Halloween 2024 approaches, we round up some thrillingly good PR and social marketing stunts from recent years. 

2. Burger King: Ghost of McDonald’s

Burger King is big on creative Halloween campaigns, usually at the expense of rival McDonald’s. One of its most memorable was dressing a New York Burger King branch in the ‘scariest’ Halloween costume they could think of – the Ghost of McDonald’s. The simplicity was part of its charm. No fancy fast-food outlet makeover, just an enormous white sheet draped over the billboard and shopfront, with a sign reading: “Booooo! Just kidding. We still flame grill our burgers.” A pleasingly straightforward way of making people smile, getting across the brand’s core message and teasing the competition all in one!

3. Google Trends: Frightgeist

Not a stunt in the traditional sense but with Frightgeist, Google has created an entertaining, interactive way of reminding everyone just how much it knows about human behaviour and trends. Running since 2021, Frightgeist has become an annual staple in the US with people hunting the most popular Halloween costumes by using Google Trends to find out what’s trending in their region. It’s a fun way of seeing what’s captured people’s imagination – “Beetlejuice shrunken head” is topping the list, closely followed by “Raygun” in an interesting snapshot of 2024 themes – and, alongside most popular adult costumes, you can check out suggestions for party themes, spooky foods and kids’ costumes.

4. GReene King: Boris Pumpkins

You’ll have to forgive us for sneaking in one of our own campaigns here, but it made us smile – and delivered great results. In 2019, we created a spooky display at one London pub, featuring hundreds of pumpkins carved with Boris Johnson’s face. In the midst of the Brexit crisis, Boris was very much the centre of attention news-wise and it was a light-hearted dig at those in power at a pub just a stone’s throw from Parliament. The stunt was picked up by national media and proved popular with customers. Making sure it delivered in terms of footfall and sales, it tied into a wider campaign that saw 1,000 Halloween events at Greene King pubs nationwide, including a free pint for anyone who took a pumpkin into any Greene King pub on 31 October…Boris’s face optional.

5. MArmite: Trick or Treat

If brand authenticity is the trick to really making a Halloween concept work, Marmite’s Trick and Treat jars are right up there. Adding a topical twist to the ‘love it or hate it’ tagline, the labelled jars encouraged customers to give a ‘poison for the haters’ and a ‘potion for the lovers’. Another wonderfully simple idea, capturing the brand’s message and creating a limited-edition product for customers to buy.

6. IKEA: Monsters Not Included

An ad campaign, rather than a PR stunt or social content, but we love the simplicity and clever positioning of IKEA’s Halloween-themed campaign focused on making sure children aren’t scared in the dark. The ‘monsters not included’ strapline, and cosy imagery of IKEA-furnished bedrooms with lamps banishing the darkness under the bed and behind the curtain, taps into familiar childhood fears in an immediately relatable, relevant way. It’s a great example of identifying an angle which feels completely authentic, creating a seasonal twist without going off brand or using gimmicks.

7. Poundland: Invisibility Cloak

A few years ago, Poundland used the love for all things Harry Potter to promote its largest ever range of Halloween products, with selected stores stocking ‘invisibility cloaks’. Coat hangers, with a card that read “Halloween Invisibility Cloak FREE”, were displayed among the range. The firmly tongue-in-cheek launch release featured a quote explaining: “We intended to trial this item last year but couldn’t find it in the distribution centre.” It was a witty idea that got people talking on social channels to increase engagement, as well as encouraging customers into stores.

If you would like to find out more about how WPR can develop seasonal campaigns for your brand, get in touch. We’d love to hear from you.

Last updated: 14 October 2024

The author: Jane Ainsworth is managing director of WPR. She has more than 20 years’ experience in developing and delivering communications strategies for consumer brands including Dunelm, Tesco, Mothercare, Greene King, John Lewis, Bullring, Beaverbrooks and Westfield.