HALLOWEEN IS A LICENCE TO BREAK THE RULES. ARE FMCG BRANDS MAKING THE MOST OF IT IN-STORE?
Halloween gives FMCG brands permission to do things they might not get away with at other times of the year.
Bolder creative. Unexpected products. Limited editions. Prize promotions. Experiences that give shoppers a reason to stop and get involved.
But with so many brands competing for attention during seasonal occasions, standing out takes more than a Halloween-themed pack or a temporary price reduction.
Throughout October, we've been looking at Halloween in UK grocery retail: the shopper behaviours shaping the occasion, the activations catching our eye, and the ways brands are using the opportunity to do something different.
So, what can we learn from this year's Halloween activity, and what does it take to turn seasonal excitement into effective shopper activation?
1. UNDERSTANDING HALLOWEEN SHOPPER BEHAVIOUR
Before thinking about creative concepts or promotional mechanics, it's worth asking a more fundamental question: what are shoppers actually looking for from Halloween?
A recent poll showed 51% of UK Halloween shoppers plan to try new products or recipes for the occasion. [1]
The occasion creates opportunities for brands across a range of categories, from confectionery and snacking, beverages and beyond. But the reasons shoppers engage with seasonal products aren't necessarily going to be the same for everyone.
Our research and observations throughout October have highlighted five motivations worth considering:
Value: A compelling reason to justify the spend.
Added benefit: Something beyond a straightforward discount.
Novelty: Something unexpected or different from the everyday range.
Experience: An opportunity to participate, play or share something.
Relevance: A reason to engage with the occasion beyond simply buying a product.
These motivations offer a useful starting point for brands planning their Halloween activity.
The challenge isn't simply to make a product look seasonal. It's to understand what role that product, promotion or experience plays in the shopper's Halloween plans.
Because the more relevant the proposition, the stronger the reason to engage.
2. OPPORTUNITY REQUIRES VALUE
Seasonal occasions create a natural opportunity to capture attention. But attention alone doesn't guarantee a purchase.
UK spending statistics show that 55% of Halloween shoppers spend less than £25 on the occasion. [2]
Shoppers still need to feel that what they're being offered is worth their money, whether that's through the product itself, the experience surrounding it or an additional benefit.
This is where brands have an opportunity to think beyond the traditional promotional toolkit.
Limited editions, for example, can give shoppers a reason to revisit familiar products. New flavours, distinctive packaging or seasonal variations can introduce an element of discovery, making an established brand feel fresh again.
Novelty needs to offer something meaningful. A seasonal design might attract an initial glance, but a product needs a compelling point of difference to give shoppers a reason to choose it. (Walkers X Avengers Doomsday / Heinz Spicy Ketchup?)
Prize promotions offer another route. Rather than competing on price alone, brands can introduce an additional incentive that makes the purchase more engaging. The appeal might be the chance to win, the excitement of taking part or the feeling of getting something extra. Usually these types of promotions are paired with a discount, so it’s minimising that friction to purchase even more.
Experiences can play a similar role, giving shoppers something to do rather than simply something to buy. In-store experiential pieces are great for this, though we haven’t seen any of this being utilised this year.
The most effective approach will depend on the brand, the category and the audience it's trying to reach. A limited edition might be the right way to generate curiosity, while a prize promotion could provide a stronger reason to participate.
The important thing is to start with the shopper need and choose the mechanic accordingly.
Halloween provides the creative freedom to experiment. The opportunity lies in using that freedom to create something shoppers genuinely value.
3. GREAT IDEAS NEED EFFECTIVE EXECUTION
A compelling proposition is only part of the equation. It also needs to work in the retail environment where shoppers encounter it.
Retailers have different requirements, shoppers have different missions, and campaigns often need to operate across multiple formats and channels. An idea that works in one setting may need to be adapted to work effectively in another.
That creates a challenge for brands: how do you maintain a distinctive, consistent brand experience while tailoring activity to different retail environments?
We’ve had a lot of experience working on activations with different retailer overlays and creative executions. Our recent Halloween work with Mars Wrigley provides a practical example.
We supported Mars Wrigley in delivering three distinct Halloween campaigns across seven retailers, spanning trade, convenience and grocery. The work included creative assets for both print and digital channels.
With multiple campaigns, retailers and formats to manage, consistency and speed were important considerations.
JOE, our activation portal, helped support brand governance, campaign consistency and efficient turnaround times, enabling the creative to be delivered across the different executions efficiently and effectively.
As Olivia Harvey, Shopper Activation Manager at Mars Wrigley, explained:
"We are so pleased with how these creatives are showing up in store. Juice always supports us in standing out in-store with bold, fresh concepts that elevate our brand presence and stop shoppers in their tracks."
It's a useful reminder that effective activation involves more than developing a strong creative idea. It requires the processes, tools and expertise to translate that idea into executions that work across the retail landscape.
And that matters particularly during seasonal occasions, when timings can be tight and the opportunity to make an impact is limited.
4. STANDING OUT IN A CROWDED HALLOWEEN
So, with so many ways to activate around Halloween, where should brands start?
Looking across the shopper behaviours and campaigns we've explored this month, we'd suggest six considerations for building an effective seasonal activation.
1. Start with a shopper need
Rather than starting with a Halloween concept, start by identifying what shoppers are looking or asking for and tailor your offer accordingly.
Is it value? Discovery? A reward? An experience? Understanding the motivation gives the campaign a clearer purpose.
2. Give shoppers a compelling reason to engage
Once the need is clear, consider how the brand can meet it.
A limited edition, prize promotion, bundle or interactive experience could all work, but the mechanic should follow the objective rather than dictate it.
3. Make the idea distinctive
Halloween is an opportunity to be more playful and experimental, but brands still need to stand out from the competition.
That could mean an unexpected product, a particularly strong creative concept or an activation that invites shoppers to take part. The aim is to give people a reason to notice and remember the brand.
4. Make sure the idea fits the brand
Creative freedom doesn't mean losing brand relevance.
The strongest activations find a natural connection between the occasion and what the brand stands for. Halloween should enhance the proposition, not feel like a theme applied simply because the calendar says so.
Take the Wild Thingz ‘FREE Treatz’ activation with Ocado as a good example. They’re leaning into value and convenience – Buy a pack, get free 24 pack bundle. What makes this activation so good is that due to Wild Thingz being HFFS friendly? They can offer something that not all brands can (free sweets). This gives clear value, trick-or-treat snacks for nothing, and can also double as a sampling opportunity for the brand as their sweets get shared out to kids around the UK. Brilliant!
5. Tailor the execution to the retail environment
Consider where and how shoppers will encounter the campaign. Retailer requirements, shopping missions, formats and channels should all inform the execution.
A consistent campaign doesn't necessarily mean identical assets everywhere. It means retaining the core idea and brand identity while making the activation work in each environment.
6. Plan for delivery from the outset
Finally, think about execution early enough to make the creative ambition achievable.
Timelines, approvals, asset management, brand governance and coordination across retailers can all influence the final result. Getting these right helps ensure the idea reaches shoppers as intended.
Taken together, these considerations help move a campaign beyond seasonal decoration towards a more purposeful activation: one built around a shopper need, supported by a compelling proposition and delivered effectively at the point of purchase.
5. MAKING THE MOST OF THE MOMENT
Halloween is a useful reminder that seasonal retail offers brands more than a reason to refresh their packaging or introduce a temporary promotion.
It creates permission to experiment with products, propositions and experiences that might look very different from everyday activity.
But creative freedom is most valuable when it's supported by a clear understanding of shoppers. The brands that make the most of the occasion will be those that understand what their audience values, give them a compelling reason to engage and deliver the idea effectively in the retail environment.
For FMCG brands, that means looking beyond the Halloween theme itself and thinking more carefully about the role the activation plays. Because ultimately, standing out isn't just about being different. It's about being different in a way that matters to shoppers.
At Juice, we help brands turn shopper insight into effective retail activation, combining creative thinking with the tools and processes needed to deliver consistently across retailers and channels.
Planning your next seasonal campaign? We'd love to talk about how to make it count.
Sources:
[1] IGD [2] YouGov
