If You Got It, HAUNT It.
FACT: Halloween is the most commercially successful holiday after Christmas. That means it beats out all of the turkey business, the Valentine’s Day card/flower/chocolate revenue and the green beer on St. Patrick’s Day. This year, retailers aren’t letting this opportunity pass them by, and some are even giving back to the community in their own spooky way.
Check out these awesome tricks and treats:
Chipotle – We talk about Chipotle a lot on this blog and not just because we eat there four times a week. They really seem to have their marketing together as of late. So, for Halloween they’ve partnered with nutrition advocate Jamie Oliver to fight obesity and the consumption of processed foods by hosting a costume contest and rewarding participants with discounted burritos. Contestants are asked to dress up as the “most horrifying processed food product” and either come into the store or submit their photo online. All costumed proponents for food awareness will receive a $2 BOO-rito and will be entered to win up to $2,500. This campaign is reinforcing Chipotle’s commitment to “food with integrity,” inviting interaction with consumers and turning a serious matter into a fun experience.
KFC – On the other end of the spectrum, we have KFC. Even after taking the “fried chicken” out of their name, they realized this chain was known for one thing: greasy fried chicken. Who else would bring us the abominable Double Down (sandwich made out of two pieces of chicken) or the infamous Famous Bowl (a bowl of fried chicken, corn and mashed potatoes… topped with cheese)? So, this Halloween, they’ve decided to reward the customers who dress as their iconic mascot, Colonel Sanders. The contest is open to everyone (even pets!) and entrants will be judged on creativity, likeness to the Colonel and brand relevancy. The best Double will receive Doubleicous sandwiches for life and an official Colonel costume for next year. Kicking it up a notch, they’ve invited media to join in too – any media personality who plays along will receive $250,000 toward the charity of their choice. Again, they are giving back, creating media buzz and interacting with customers. It’s probably the best campaign they’ve had in a long time.
Question: Can one dress as Colonel Sanders, enter the KFC contest and then walk over to the nearest Chipotle for a $2 burrito? Something to think about.
Dr. Jerry Strauss – We can’t all run fast food chains or work on a big budget. Dr. Jerry Strauss, a dentist from New Jersey, is basically the antithesis of Halloween. He wants his patients to STOP eating candy. In an effort to save their teeth from the voracious sugar bug, he’s offering a bribe. For every pound of candy a kid brings in, they will receive $1. Not bad. Then, all of the candy collected will be sent to troops overseas (I guess they are less cavity-prone?). It’s a simple way to get customer participation, spread an important hygiene message and help out a worthy cause – even though he doesn’t have anything delicious to offer.
What is your business doing for Halloween? Black Sheep is hosting an online costume contest, so be sure to share your ghoulish get-up on Facebook. Happy Halloween, everyone!