Best Halloween Campaigns of 2016

Halloween/All Hallows’ Eve. The one night of the year spirits come back to haunt us. Or the one night of the year we eat ourselves into a sugar coma. Well for me that’s most nights but I’m a student, it’s allowed.

Have we lost the meaning of Halloween? Has it become too commercialised? Too gruesome?

Personally I love Halloween. Pumpkin carving, apple bobbing, dressing up, watching Hocus Pocus (obligatory) and making yourself look as scary as possible are a few of the highlights that make Halloween such a fun holiday.

A few companies have got into the festive season and produced some very clever and spooky campaigns. These are four of my favourites from this year!

Airbnb

We all love a trip to a haunted house or asylum at Halloween but get a bite of this; How would you like to spend a night at Dracula’s Castle, Transylvania? Seriously.

Airbnb are hosting a competition to send two lucky vampires winners to spend the night at Count Dracula’s Castle, flight to Romania included.

Prize winners will be flown into Romania, travel in a horse-drawn chariot to the castle that originally inspired Bram Stoker’s legendary tale of Dracula. Once at the castle the fortunate – or unfortunate, you decide – pair will also meet the last descendant of the author himself. What better way to spend Halloween than sleeping in a coffin in Count Dracula’s Castle?

Very original and creative campaign from Airbnb, scarily good.

Burger King

Burger King vs McDonald’s round three.

This time it’s Burger King throwing the first hit. Ronald McDonald won’t be pleased. Even worse, due to the scary clown phase last month he’s been put into hiding so can’t even retaliate. Not a good day for McDonald’s is it?

A Burger King outlet located in Queens, New York dressed up as the ghost of McDonald’s, covered in white sheets and throwing shade at its rival with a sign reading “Booooooo! Just kidding, we still flame grill our burgers. Happy Halloween.”

I don’t know about you but I can’t wait for McDonald’s retaliation and I’m sure it won’t be pretty.

A clever stunt by Burger King but let’s not forget Pepsi pulled something similar a few years ago with rival Coca Cola.

Kit Kat

Kit Kat have been quite busy this Halloween with their ads. One shows us how to fend off a homicidal maniac in a forest and another has Chance the Rapper with his version of the well known jingle, doing a spot of Halloween sweet shopping.

The YouTube video has reached over 1 million views with the description: “Chance the Rapper + Kit Kat = Best Halloween ever! #KitKatBreak #HalloweenBreak”

Kit Kat also got creative with their packaging, featuring the rapper as the new face of the brand with Chance the (W)rapper printed on. Clever play on words Kit Kat.

If you told me the company would be doing a celebrity collaboration, Chance the Rapper wouldn’t have crossed my mind, but it works.

Jägermeister

Jägermeister have created a #ZombieTakeover, teaming up with clubs such as London Cocktail Club and Walkabout, to get as many people drinking the liqueur.

As it’s the night for celebrating spirits, there should be no harm in drinking them either. Jägermeister have capitalised on the spirit theme this Halloween wanting to be the best-selling and most popular spirit of the night.

The company will be sending out promotional staff to partnering clubs and bars to get as many drinking Jäger as possible. To help further increase sales, the marketing team have also been bleeding out gory videos to show a day in the death of a zombie. #ZombieTakeover

 

What are your favourite ad campaigns of Halloween?