In recent weeks, brands have been getting in the spooky spirit with creative new promotions targeting Halloween-conscious consumers. Get caught up on the creepy and candy-filled campaigns you missed in our Weekly Must Reads.

IKEA Takes on Bedroom Monsters

In their new Halloween-inspired ad campaign, IKEA is assuring kids there are no monsters under their bedroom furniture. “Monsters Not Included” features a series of short videos that start off spooky before a light flips on and shows that IKEA’s beds, closets and more are safe from monsters. In addition to the digital video ads, IKEA has also rolled out the campaign with out-of-home and print ads that show photos of the illuminated furniture with their “Monsters Not Included” tagline.

The new campaign is not only appropriate for the Halloween season, but it also reinforces IKEA’s positioning as a safe and trustworthy furniture brand for families. You can check out the new ads for yourself here: https://www.creativebloq.com/news/ikea-halloween-campaign

Airheads Hosts Halloween Film Festival

In celebration of Halloween, candy brand Airheads has kicked off a scary short film festival – with a catch. In the lead-up to the festival, Airheads encouraged filmmakers to create three-minute films that feature the brand’s red balloon mascot and creatively utilize AI. Now through November 30, fans can vote for their favorite films on Airhead’s dedicated “A.I.RHEADS Scarefest” landing page. Aspiring directors can also use AI to create their own short films by November 6 for a chance to win a $2,000 prize and a year’s worth of Airheads candy.

The new promotion from Airheads encourages consumers to interact with the brand in a more fun and personal way, which may make the more likely to purchase the candy for their Halloween festivities. Overall spending on Halloween candy has been rising steadily in recent years, with an increase of more than half a billion dollars between 2020 and 2022. Learn more about the AI film fest here: https://www.marketingdive.com/news/airheads-artificial-intelligence-ai-film-festival-scarefest-campaign/697745/

M&M’S Partners with Gopuff to Save Halloween

Mars, M&M’S and Gopuff are setting out to save Halloween this year. Their newest campaign features the M&M’S Halloween Rescue Squad, a team of Gopuff delivery drivers who will deliver free Mars candies to anyone who runs out of treats too early on Halloween. The promotion begins at 3 pm on October 31 in select US locations, and consumers must visit the campaign’s dedicated site to request a candy refill. According to Gopuff, the candy is guaranteed to be delivered in 60 minutes or less.

According to Mars, their idea for the campaign came from research that uncovered nearly half of US consumers worry about running out of candy on Halloween, and about 90 percent have dipped into their own candy bowls before trick-or-treaters arrive. The Rescue Squad is their way to ensure they meet consumers’ needs and “inspire more moments of everyday happiness.” Find out more about the M&M’S Halloween Rescue Squad here: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mars-introduces-mms-halloween-rescue-squad-to-save-houses-from-running-out-of-candy-this-halloween-301953274.html

Krispy Kreme’s New Scooby Doo Donuts

For their own Halloween celebration, Krispy Kreme has partnered with the iconic characters of Scooby-Doo to create a limited-edition line of donuts. Throughout the month of October, Krispy Kreme shops have been selling the Scooby-Doo Halloween Dozen, which include new flavors in a Scooby-Doo branded box. The donut brand also released a six-pack of the new donuts to be sold in select US grocery stores.

In addition to the exclusive donut line, Krispy Kreme also plans to continue their Halloween tradition of giving a free donut to anyone who comes into their shop wearing a costume on October 31. Get all the details on the promotion and a closer look at their Scooby-Doo donuts here: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/food/2023/10/09/scooby-doo-krispy-kreme-doughnut-halloween-dozen/71116427007/