.svg){kind=logo}
“So good, it’s scary!”
When it comes to Halloween, B2C are the spookalicious ghoulish queens of the marketing world, whilst B2B brands pretend the month of October doesn’t exist.
It happens every year: their Halloween campaigns send shivers down our spines and cause our bank accounts to become hauntingly empty, but our inboxes and outreach strategies remain boring and demonically dull.
Boo.
That’s why we’re here to top-up your pumpkin juice and get the Hocus-Pocus started, because who said you couldn’t love Halloween AND work in B2B?
In this post, we’ll:
- Explore how brands like Ikea, Burger King, Heinz, and Starbucks turned spooky season into powerful marketing moments.
- Discover what strategies boost engagement and loyalty - from nostalgia marketing to gamification, UGC, emotional hooks, and limited-time offers.
- Learn how to adapt big-brand Halloween ideas into branded merchandise campaigns that delight, inspire, and drive long-term brand connections.
Here are 7 effective Halloween campaigns that we’re sure are going to inspire your B2B merch marketing strategy all year round, as well as a little look into why your brand should rethink your Halloween campaign plans.
Want more spooktacular content like this? Sign up for our newsletter and you’ll receive all the latest trends and insights about marketing, merch and more straight to your inbox. It’s marketing inspiration like you’ve never seen it before - it’s frightfully good.
Don’t ghost Halloween
Think about it this way: some of the biggest brands in the world launch successful Halloween campaigns each and every year, so why don’t you?
Halloween isn’t the ‘done’ thing in B2B marketing. No matter how many pumpkins you scatter around the office or how often you shout, “TRICK-OR-TREAT!” down the corridors, it’s just not considered professional or relevant enough to warrant any budget.
But have you ever considered that your brand could potentially be missing out on one of the biggest lead-generating opportunities of the year?
Halloween is a global phenomenon adored by many. It’s been estimated that, in the UK, consumer spending for Halloween products has quadrupled in recent years, with the market hitting £1 billion in 2023. This shows that the overall popularity of celebrating the holiday isn’t just a fad, it’s a rising trend that’ll repeat year on year (...because that’s how seasonal holidays work).
And sure, the stats above aren’t for B2B brands. But do you know what they do show? What people like.
And do you know who runs your B2B brands?
You’ve guessed it! Poltergeists!
No.
It isn’t a brand name that makes a brand - it’s people.
‘People’ (reanimated or otherwise) are your customers. Your cheerleaders.
And those people are who your brand is - they are your community, they’re the ones you’ve got to win over, not some logo or a boardroom, but people.
It’s about building a community around a shared experience that your audience loves.
And people are loving Halloween.
What makes a spook-tacular Halloween marketing campaign?
If you love the idea of standing out from your competitors with a fang-tastic Halloween campaign, but don’t know where to start, never fear - we’ve got you covered.
Here are six things you need to do to ensure your Halloween campaign is spook-tacular.
Tell a story
Everyone loves a story, and to make your campaign really impactful, you need that driving narrative to keep your audience engaged throughout and beyond.
Have a series of social posts that keep the momentum going, or create multiple assets that have the same core messaging behind them.
Include an emotional hook
You want to create an emotional hook with your viewers in order for them to connect with your campaign. You want them to feel happy, calm, sad (but not too sad), because emotions make your brand unforgettable.
We talk a lot about Return on Emotion, which is all about turning every activation into an unforgettable, brand-defining moment fueled by powerful, emotional connections. And it’s for good reason: did you know 95% of purchase decisions are driven by emotion?
In the case of your social strategy, creating content that emotionally resonates with your audience will create brand loyalty like nothing else.
You can read more about Return on Emotion over at Brand Revolution.
UGC content
Allow your audience to join in with your campaign by encouraging them to create UGC (User-Generated Content).
This’ll not only make your brand campaign reach potential new customers, but with 92% of consumers now trusting UGC more than traditional ads, it’ll make your brand appear more trustworthy and likeable.
Gamification
Adding a gaming element to your campaign will make it 100% more memorable for your audience, as it’ll be fun! It can be as simple as a lucky draw to be super effective.
Pop culture references
When it comes to Halloween, everyone loves a pop culture reference. Be it a killer film, song, or something significant from a shared experience, pop culture references define generations and build a lasting rapport between a brand and its target audience.
Inspire and delight!
Nothing makes a campaign more memorable than if there’s a fun twist at the end or something that’ll take your viewers completely by surprise. Think a limited-time offer or a giveaway that’s super exciting.
7 effective Halloween campaigns to inspire your B2B merch marketing strategy
From epic ads that’ll have you checking for monsters under your bed tonight, to iconic brand assets with a Halloween makeover - here are seven of the most effective Halloween campaigns from big brands to hopefully inspire your next promotional products campaign.
1. Ikea
We’ve all had monsters living under our beds, right?
Well, Ikea brought this iconic childhood scare back to life with its 2023 Halloween ad.
There were a few different versions, such as hiding in a wardrobe or behind some curtains, but the premise was still the same for each: showing that there weren’t any monsters to be afraid of, just frighteningly good deals on Swedish furniture.
Why this worked
This campaign worked so well because it put families in the (picture) frame. This makes Ikea appear as the ideal family brand, with its audience’s needs at the forefront of what they do.
This ad also works really well because it uses that age-old trick of nostalgia marketing to create that emotional hook. With the ominous music and dark, hidden corners, we’re transported back to our own childhoods of believing monsters exist. It’s a clever spin on a popular marketing strategy.
Read more: Reboots & revivals: Why are so many brands going back to the past?
Recreate with merch
From Swing Ball to Rubik’s Cubes, what’s your favourite toy from your childhood? Whatever it is, why not brand it?
Brand takeaway: Nostalgia marketing may be the ‘it’ thing at the moment, but it’s for a good reason - it works! Experiment with nostalgic techniques to create a more positive brand identity.
2. Burger King
“Ring, ring, one missed call.”
There’s something so innately unsettling and spooky about an unknown voice speaking to you from a phone.
Be it a throwback to that classic horror trope we all know and love, to someone you actually know ringing your phone (WHY?!), ringing phones are synonymous with horror, and Burger King pulled it out of the bag with this one.
And what was particularly fun about this campaign was that if you visited the website TheCall.BK.com (which unfortunately, no longer exists), and entered your name and number, you too could receive a personalised creepy phone call.
Will you answer the call?
Why this worked
Everyone loves those niche, retro film references. But do you know what they also like?
Being IN the niche, retro film references.
By having the interactive element to their campaign, Burger King was able to bring their audience into the horror nightmare and make their campaign even more memorable.
And it paid off, because searches for ‘Ghost Pepper Whopper’ increased by over 50% after this campaign ran!
Recreate with merch
Your audience wants to be involved - so let them be! One way to do this with merch is with influencer PR kits or boxes of your product sent out to the influencers they follow. This way, your influencer can create attention-grabbing content that your audience can engage with on a one-on-one level.
Read more: Unboxing influencer merch packs: Exploring online social activation with branded merchandise
Brand takeaway: It’s not always just about the product you’re selling, but also giving your audience an experience to remember.
3. M&Ms x Ring
This collaboration between M&Ms and Ring (the doorbell brand) was a fang-tastic way to add some Halloween magic to trick-or-treaters’ nights last October.
Users of the Ring doorbell could download a selection of different spooky sayings from the notorious Red, M&M’S iconic spokes candy, asking visitors to perform challenges. Those who got involved were then asked to share the recordings of their visitors' hilarious moves.
Why this worked
Humour! Who doesn’t want to be asked to dance like a skeleton by their neighbour’s doorbell? It was a great way to add a modern twist to a Halloween tradition.
Recreate with merch
What would trick-or-treating be without some delicious, branded sweets? Whatever your age, everyone loves a sweet little treat, so make it one with your brand on for a tasty office snack.
Plus, there’s nothing like a sugar high to get everyone laughing at your jokes!
Brand takeaway: Don’t be afraid to add a dash of humour to your next marketing campaign, because being funny is one of the best ways to make your campaign memorable.
4. Heinz
Ketchup. Blood. Ketchup. Blood.
Kids all over the world:
And Heinz listened.
Now, every October, ketchup disappears, and ‘Heinz Blood’ coats the shelves at your local supermarket.
And every seven (or forty-seven-year-old) vampire fanatic is ecstatic.
Why this worked
Because Heinz actually listened to their audience!
This campaign shows that Heinz is willing to put the needs of their audience first, even if it has nothing to do with their product's usual USP.
And the stats support this - The campaign generated over 5.1 billion views for #heinzhalloween on TikTok.
Social listening at its finest!
Recreate with merch
Bursting with the latest trends, ideas, and inspiration for all of your promotional merchandise needs, our latest brochure is here to help you choose the very best in promotional products for your upcoming campaigns.
We’ve been listening, and these are the products you’ve been loving.
Brand takeaway: Listen to your audience, your clients, your employees - they know your brand better than you sometimes.
5. Pepsi vs. Coca-Cola
Image source: https://harrisoncarloss.com/top-five-halloween-marketing-campaigns/
Who doesn’t love a bit of drama? Especially when it’s between two of the biggest drinks brands on the planet.
It all began when Pepsi dressed up as Coca-Cola for Halloween - a terrifying concept.
And, rather than get angry and get the lawyers involved, Coca-Cola replied with the same image, but captioned instead with, “Everybody wants to be a hero”.
DRAMA.
Why this worked
Everyone has their favourite out of the two, right? And when you hear the barman say, “Will Pepsi/Coke be okay?” you’ll feel that well-known beverage disappointment.
The Cola Wars are nothing new, but they show just how emotionally connected an audience can be to a brand.
Whether you’re #TeamCola or #TeamPepsi, you feel strongly about your choice, which is an emotional resonance that only some brands can dream of.
Recreate with merch
That super-strong emotional connection of receiving a gift can be amplified even further if the gift is personalised.
That’s because we love a bit of personalisation. It’s been reported that recipients are 33% more likely to feel connected to a brand when they receive a memorable gift. Personalisation is that extra added value that helps to take relationships to the next level, and it’s never been easier to do than with personalised merch.
Read more: AI vs merch: which is a better tool for long-term brand building?
Brand takeaway: Making your campaign hyperpersonalised is exactly what your audience wants to see. Don’t shy away from leveraging their emotions - it might just be what sets you apart from your competitors.
6. McDonald’s
Image source: https://harrisoncarloss.com/top-five-halloween-marketing-campaigns/
Spooky AND delicious - McDonald’s used their iconic packaging and products to depict Halloween-esque scenes, and it turned their usual branding into something doubly spooky and fantastic.
Why this worked
McDonald’s was able to use their distinctive brand assets in a totally new and creative way.
You instantly know the above ad is McDonald’s - and it’s that sort of brand recognition that’s spellbinding to audiences.
Recreate with merch
Reignite your distinctive brand assets by creating showstopping merch packs that’ll get people scrolling straight to sales. A great way to make a brand impact fast, our merch packs make it super easy for you to send spectacular gifts on any budget.
Read more: Looking for a stress-free merchandise solution? Introducing merch packs!
Brand takeaway: Use your distinctive brand assets to your advantage. Look through your decks and do some market research to figure out what your brand's USP is, and own it.
7. Starbucks
Not necessarily a Halloween-based campaign, but we couldn't finish up this list without mentioning the Pumpkings themselves.
We might as well rename Autumn to Starbucks-um (patent pending) because they just live and breathe the season - including Halloween.
Every Autumn-loving girlie ever: PSL will forever have our hearts.
Since 2003, Pumpkin Spice Lattes have defined a season. Starbucks has sold over 600 million cups of its signature autumn drink, with no signs of it falling out of flavour favour anytime soon. It’s estimated that sales of the PSL alone earn Starbucks approximately $500 million a year.
And there are three very simple reasons for this: They taste good, they look good, and they are EVERYWHERE.
When Facebook and Twitter arrived in 2006, customers began sharing their love of the PSL online, and it took on an identity of its own (literally - it has its own X handle and Instagram account as of 2014 with thousands of followers).
And what’s great about this campaign is that it’s recurrent every year, and every year the momentum behind it is second to none - it shows our consumer love for seasonal nostalgia, and our hatred of FOMO.
Why this worked
The campaign is a simple seasonal sensation that utilises the age-old marketing trick of scarcity.
Because it’s not around all year, as soon as that first perfect orange leaf falls, people rush to buy a PSL because of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out).
This is when the ‘scarcity’ effect comes into play.
Because the drink is only available for one season a year, our brains think, “Yes, I need this; it won’t be around forever.”
And so PSLs are perceived as more valuable, as there’s a limited availability.
Recreate with merch
If you’re looking for a way to make your team’s PSL season the best yet, go big. Go reusable. Go limited-edition.
With a social following already established, get your brand online with a limited-edition promotional reusable coffee cup showcasing the season’s must-have beverage, to create your own exclusive promo.
Read more: 10 branded reusable coffee cups perfect for your PSL
Brand takeaway: If you’ve got a good thing going, try making it available for a limited time only.
Merch with bite!
When it comes to Halloween, we’ve got all the very best in boo-tastic tricks and treats for ghoulish giveaways and gifts. Check out our creepy customisable confectionery, and get ready to scare the cobwebs off your audience this Halloween!
Want more spooktacular content like this? Sign up for our newsletter and you’ll receive all the latest trends and insights about marketing, merch and more straight to your inbox. It’s marketing inspiration like you’ve never seen it before - it’s frightfully good.
