Thread: Halloween needs corporate support?

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Hi Folks,

I was just sitting here wondering why certain corporations don't pro-actively support Halloween-related events (National Haunters Convention, Hauntcon, Spooky Empire, National Halloween Convention, TransWorld HCP, etc.

A recent Halloween Forum discussion reminded me of this fact. Perhaps I am misdirected, but I feel that one particular product is so dead-on perfect for aligning itself with the Halloween Enthusiast's "gotta-get-me-one-of-those!" Halloween-related product mindset, that I don't quite understand why they wouldn't want to be seen as a supporter at every single event that a Halloween fan might attended. That product is Crystal Head Vodka (maybe not so much for the luscious liquid, but certainly for the phenomenal bottle).

My understanding of the principle of marketing is: to get your product in front of your target audience as often as possible (the marketing term "frequency" comes to mind. (Otherwise, I doubt Lowe's wouldn't sponsor a NASCAR race team!)

As we Halloween Enthusiasts all know, we have a special zeal toward something that we deem special and worthy of our time and efforts...after all, we are all part the most significant chunk of the monetary driving force behind the second biggest retail "holiday" in the USA. (HERE is even more fun data.)

My final note here is this: What if we H. Enthusiasts each Emailed a brief: "We Halloween enthusiasts ask for your support, we can give you ours!" note to the distributor's executives (Diamond Estates), as well as Emailed Crystal Head site "Contact" page. Would that make them listen to Haunters?

Feel free to share your comments. In no way am I encouraging the reckless intake of alcohol; I am just expressing a personal thought.

Dan Akroyd is too busy going to every Costco in the country to market his product by selling himself rather than the natural answer that you have mentioned above.

Halloween and haunted houses have a large potential for advertising.marketing some products.
But what garners immeadiate, sensationlized news headlines?
When people screw up, things go wrong, people get killed or maimed, right?
20 years worth of safe success and community goodwill become hacked to pieces the second there is a tragedy and for many potential customers the affilliation with the seemingly ones responsible becomes instantly "Bad Business" for those sponsers.
For a couple of years about one person a season was getting severely crippled or killed on haunted hay rides, even though the 300 to 400 small children drowning each year in wadding pools in their own backyard gets ignored by the people screaming for legislation and safety patrols.
Add to this the" religious" anti-Halloween group out there who would possibly boycott a sponsers place of business or product ..just because.
Maybe LLoyds of London could insure a sponsering business against heavy losses if something went wrong, damamging their expensive investment in Halloween?
Maybe then it could happen?

One real reason I would suggest is Halloween as we know it is primarily an American holiday. Most corporations are international, and so it's not cost effective to gear their money machines if it isn't global.

Halloween the way we decorate here, is only pratice by Christians and Catholics I think, so, the money to be made is limited, and mostly in North America, as mentioned above. But I could be wrong.

Hmmm....great points to ponder. I'd love more feedback and ideas.

Originally Posted by osenator

Halloween the way we decorate here, is only pratice by Christians and Catholics I think, so, the money to be made is limited, and mostly in North America, as mentioned above. But I could be wrong.

Seeing as how Christmas is at least a three-month money maker and official determinant of retail business success or failure; it stands to reason that all corporations dump their support into this holiday. My theory as to why Halloween lacks corporate support and sponsorship is because they feel it's not worth their dime and time to do it. They still believe that because Halloween or Trick or Treat is a one night, usually a four hour event; it's more difficult to make finiacial sucess off of such a short "event".

I say event instead of holiday because national recognition and support of the holiday is STILL unresolved, People just don't get it! It's ironic to think that corporations are scared of Halloween! It seems they don't quite know how to deal with it!

I totally agree with you, Eyegore. Sadly, most people don't get Halloween, unlike Christmas is very easy to get into. I would beleive that the ratio of people spending on Christmas decorations compare to people that spend on Halloween decorations must be very different.

Halloween Forum has a banner ad sponsor that's goal is to help correct this problem!
You can check it out here www.halloweenarmy.org Great Site too!

Well, Halloween is the second holiday for spending after Christmas, but if you compare pumpkins to pumpkins, I think that Halloween definitely does out do Christmas.

Halloween is about decorations, candy, costumes, movies, scary stuff whereas Christmas is about Trees, ornaments and especially GIFTS! GIFTS are the reason that Christmas is so popular. AND the reason there are so many sponsors.

At Halloween, you don't have to worry about getting your Great Aunt a pumpkin or a candy bar, but at Christmas you may have to worry that you didn't get her a gift. Or double worry that you didn't get her the "right gift".

I mean, seriously, how can you put up your best haunt against Santa Claus! (He brings gifts, you scare people!) LOL

Look at all the sponsors for Valentines Day or St. Patrick's day.

A company of any size can easily get behind a "loving holiday" or a "drinking holiday", and especially a "gift giving" holiday. But a "scary holiday"? OOH, Might offend someone!