With Halloween’s surge in popularity across the globe, missing out on this seasonal marketing opportunity can have bone-chilling consequences for your business.
As the leaves turn, brands have the perfect opportunity to get creative and show off their playful side by incorporating human-to-human (H2H) marketing principles into their strategies.
From festive visuals and themed promotions to limited-time campaigns, tapping into seasonal events like Halloween not only makes your brand more relatable but can also drive engagement, boost sales, and create memorable experiences for your audience.
In this blog post, we’ll explore some H2H Halloween marketing campaign ideas that will help your brand stand out and connect with customers in a way that’s not just “spookily effective” but wickedly impactful.
And don’t forget to grab our free Halloween illustration pack to get started on your seasonal transformation! 🎃👻
What is H2H marketing?
Human-to-human (H2H) marketing is an approach that prioritizes the audience’s humanity above all else. Rather than treating people as faceless consumers, H2H marketing focuses on building authentic relationships through empathy, connection, and storytelling.
This approach breaks away from traditional methods that are transactional, one-sided, and overly product-centric. Instead, it champions a more relational, interactive, and experience-driven approach.
Literal Humans has identified nine key pillars of H2H marketing. They are:
- Holistic: H2H strategies require a multidisciplinary team to understand the big picture.
- Learning-focused: H2H marketers live by ABC: Always. Be. Curious.
- Empathetic: We draw on our lived experience to empathize with the audience.
- Co-created: Clients or customers shape the narrative, not marketers.
- Brave: H2H marketing isn’t afraid to test, innovate, and learn from mistakes.
- Effective: In a world of AI-generated noise, H2H marketing stands out—and that’s why it works.
- Multicultural: H2H marketing recognizes and acknowledges cultural nuances, sensitivities, and messaging for people from all walks of life.
- Professionally playful: When skills, professionalism, and playfulness combine, magic happens.
- Customer-first: H2H marketing puts the human on the other end first.
Why does H2H marketing matter?
With the rapid evolution of generative AI (gen-AI), which can produce large volumes of passable content in a fraction of the time, human marketers need to differentiate their work by doing what machines can’t—such as engaging in meaningful conversations, conducting research with a human perspective, and infusing lived experiences into their content.
Additionally, gen-AI has impacted how Google ranks content in search results. While Google has clarified that it doesn’t outright penalize AI-generated content, it emphasizes quality and originality—areas where AI still falls short. By leaning into the principles of H2H marketing, human marketers can create content that stands out in terms of depth, authenticity, and emotional resonance.
How does H2H relate to Halloween marketing?
As Naume Guveya, content strategist and senior writer at Literal Humans, puts it: “H2H marketing emphasizes that genuine connections between people are at the core of any successful campaign.
At Halloween, brands have the opportunity to engage their audiences as individuals, recognizing their unique preferences, values, and experiences to create memorable marketing moments that drive sales.”
By adopting an H2H approach, brands can craft Halloween campaigns that not only capture attention but also foster a deeper sense of connection with their audience—leading to greater engagement and better results.
Why bother with Halloween marketing?
Halloween is a relative blip in the marketing year, but it sets the stage for the busy holiday season. Many brands start rolling out their Halloween campaigns as early as September (or even late August), but once November 1st rolls around and Mimi takes over the airwaves, the focus shifts to festive holiday branding.
So why put effort into Halloween marketing if it’s so short-lived? The answer is simple: it’s wildly popular and can significantly boost sales.
In 2023, Halloween spending reached a record-breaking $12.2 billion in the US, and while 2024’s numbers are expected to be slightly lower at $11.6 billion, they’re still strong indicators of the holiday’s commercial impact.
And it’s not just an American phenomenon.
Halloween’s influence is growing globally, with the UK market hitting £1 billion in 2023 and showing no signs of slowing down. Across Europe, countries like Spain are embracing Halloween alongside their traditional celebrations, with three out of four young Europeans planning to splurge on the holiday in 2024.
This growing enthusiasm for Halloween-themed spending presents a prime opportunity for your business to capture audience attention—and a slice of the pumpkin pie—through strategic Halloween marketing.
6 frighteningly good Halloween marketing campaign ideas to inspire yours
Think Halloween marketing is only for Spirit Halloween and Haribo? Think again! Any and all brands love an excuse to dress up and attend the costume party.
Check out these six proven H2H Halloween marketing ideas, with examples to inspire your Halloween campaign.
1. Give your visual brand a seasonal uplift
Adding a Halloween twist to your website is one of the easiest ways to get into the spirit of the season. Whether it’s spooky illustrations, festive banners, or subtle Halloween icons, a seasonal refresh can give your site a fresh look that aligns with customer sentiment and enhances brand appeal.
It doesn’t have to be an elaborate overhaul—sometimes a few carefully placed pumpkins or a splash of Halloween-themed colors can do the trick. Take BarkBox, for example: the pet subscription service keeps its Halloween branding simple, yet effective, with just a few skeletons and pumpkins to bring in the seasonal vibe.
This approach exemplifies the holistic principle of H2H marketing, where the brand thoughtfully considers the entire customer experience—right down to their holiday preferences—without overwhelming them. By empathizing with customers’ desire for playful seasonal touches, BarkBox delivers an authentic, human-centered experience that resonates without needing an elaborate redesign.
Ideas for your brand:
- Use our free downloadable Halloween illustration pack to quickly update your website visuals.
- Create a Halloween-themed banner or promotional pop-up to feature special offers or products.
- Give your website a festive touch by adding playful Halloween-themed labels or icons to your navigation menu.
2. User-generated content
User-generated content is a proven marketing powerhouse that not only boosts engagement but also builds trust and credibility for your brand. This strategy exemplifies the co-created principle of H2H marketing by involving customers in the content creation process, making them active participants rather than passive consumers.
By encouraging customers to share their experiences, thoughts, or creations, you create a sense of ownership and community around your brand, leading to more authentic connections and stronger brand loyalty.
Halloween offers a perfect opportunity to encourage your audience to share their creativity—whether it’s through costumes, pumpkin carvings, or spooky stories.
Chipotle’s annual “Boorito” campaign is a great example of leveraging UGC during Halloween. Customers who show up in costume and post their look on social media using the hashtag #Boorito can receive discounted burritos.
In 2024, Chipotle went a step further by collaborating with Spirit Halloween to create an exclusive costume collection, driving even more engagement and brand interaction.
Ideas for your brand:
- Host a competition for the best costumes or pumpkin carvings and feature submissions on your website and social media.
- Encourage followers to share their scariest stories or Halloween experiences for a chance to be featured on your page.
- Create a unique Halloween hashtag and incentivize customers to use it by offering a small reward or featuring their posts.
3. Interactive social posts
Interactive social posts—like polls, quizzes, and Q&As—are fantastic for sparking engagement and building a sense of community. With over 127 million posts tagged #halloween on Instagram alone, the potential for themed interactive posts is immense.
Domino’s provides a masterclass in being professionally playful with this Halloween-themed tweet that cleverly combines a contest and a poll, asking followers to vote on their favorite toppings for a chance to win free pizza.
Meanwhile, this Halloween post from Tapatío “tapped” into fans’ love for branded merchandise by offering limited-edition items for engaging with their content, which seamlessly combined interaction with community-building.
Ideas for your brand:
- Create polls asking followers to vote on their favorite Halloween movies, treats, or costumes.
- Develop a quiz such as “Which Halloween Monster Are You?” to entertain and engage your audience.
- Host a live Q&A on Instagram or Facebook where your team answers Halloween-themed questions or shares fun facts.
4. Giveaways and contests
Giveaways and contests are a perfect fit for Halloween and a professionally playful, customer-first way to add a bit of thrill and excitement to your marketing strategy. Offering limited-edition products, exclusive experiences, or even a special Halloween bundle can incentivize your audience to engage with your brand.
The interactive nature of contests makes it easy to implement H2H marketing principles like co-creation, empathy, and playfulness. For example, Spirit Halloween often hosts “Spooktacular” contests where customers submit photos of their costumes for a chance to win gift cards or merchandise.
Other brands, like Funko, have run Halloween-themed scavenger hunts both online and in-store, encouraging fans to seek out hidden items for a chance to win rare collectibles. You could try something similar by offering themed gift boxes or partnering with other brands for joint giveaways that amplify reach and engagement.
Ideas for your brand:
- Run a “Spookiest Decor” contest where followers share photos of their Halloween setups using a branded hashtag.
- Host a flash giveaway with questions based on Halloween trivia.
- Collaborate with another brand on a Halloween-themed bundle or experience giveaway.
5. Games and gamification
With the rise of gamification in marketing, Halloween provides a unique opportunity to embrace professional playfulness to turn your campaign into an interactive experience. Games tap into the natural human desire to achieve, collect, and compete, making them an excellent vehicle for building engagement. Think about incorporating elements like points, rewards, and leaderboards to drive participation.
For instance, Fanta’s 2024 campaign introduced a game called “Afterlife Train” to celebrate the release of Beetlejuice 2, tapping into the hype surrounding the movie.
In it, users could play a simple game on Fanta’s website to collect 25 “Beetle Coins” and enter a prize draw. This not only entertained audiences but also kept them on Fanta’s website longer, strengthening brand recall.
Other brands, like Molton Brown, used a simpler approach with games like “Finding Poppy,” which involved finding hidden objects on the website. These games are effective because they add a playful touch to your marketing efforts while driving repeat visits.
Ideas for your brand:
- Create a digital scavenger hunt on your website where users find hidden Halloween icons for a chance to win discounts.
- Develop a simple puzzle game linked to a Halloween narrative or storyline.
- Offer virtual badges or rewards for completing a series of Halloween-themed challenges.
6. Influencer marketing
Influencer marketing is another powerful H2H strategy that is highly effective, while also being co-created. It also taps into empathy, because influencers bring a human voice and relatable perspective to your brand, making them the perfect partners for seasonal content. During Halloween, influencer collaborations often involve costume reveals, makeup tutorials, and themed unboxings that resonate with audiences.
In 2022, Heinz partnered with TikTok creator EJ Marcus to promote their limited-edition “Tomato Blood” ketchup, cleverly branding it as a must-have for “vegetarian vampires”. The campaign’s playful and slightly eerie tone fit perfectly with the holiday, and the influencer’s unique spin made the product feel authentic and desirable.
Similarly, NYX Cosmetics’ “Mon-Star Bash” campaign brought Gen Z influencers together and turned them into classic Universal Monsters like Dracula and Frankenstein’s Bride. This initiative used influencer marketing to showcase NYX’s Halloween collection, creating a memorable campaign that combined artistry and the spirit of Halloween.
Ideas for your brand:
- Collaborate with influencers to showcase Halloween makeup looks, recipes, or costume DIYs using your products.
- Partner with influencers for an online event or live stream where they review or use your Halloween-themed items.
- Host an influencer-led Halloween challenge, such as a themed cooking competition or spooky storytelling event.
Run ghoulishly great campaigns this Halloween
As you gear up to launch your Halloween campaign, remember that human connection is at the heart of effective H2H marketing. By integrating elements like user-generated content, interactive social posts, and influencer partnerships, you can create a campaign that delights your audience and sets your brand apart.
Ready to run your most engaging Halloween campaign yet? Download our free illustration pack to add some spooky flair to your website, or book a strategy session and let us handle it for you.
Together, we’ll make this Halloween one to remember for your brand and your audience! 🎃
