Why Halloween is a key cultural moment for brands to truly connect with Gen Z
🎃 Some insights into Gen Z's connection with their favorite holiday 🎃 Top 5 Halloween campaigns and initiatives that resonate with Gen Z
Halloween and the spooky month of October have just ended.
It’s my favorite month in the fall/winter season. Since moving to the US 15 years ago, I have fallen in love with the spirit and culture of Halloween for its fun (when it’s done right), the nostalgia of cult horror and unhinged movies, and of course its social and community-oriented aspects. It’s something hard to understand if you have only lived in Europe and haven’t fully experienced it.
Halloween has been a fun, significant cultural moment and a major celebration primarily in the United States and United Kingdom before becoming over the years a global marketing event with retailers and brands worldwide using the occasion to promote themed products and campaigns.
Much like with Pride Month, Halloween marketing can turn us off, as it’s often dominated by the worst in products and campaigns and is yet another push toward overconsumption even in countries where Halloween is not traditionally celebrated.
Gen Z shows a strong and evolving enthusiasm for Halloween, embracing it as an opportunity for creativity, social engagement, and digital expression.
Some insights into Gen Z's connection with their favorite holiday
Social Media Influence and fun
Gen Z wants fun and Halloween is pure fun.
75% of Zs say they turn to social media for entertainment according to Archrival.
They love sharing their Halloween experiences on social platforms, especially TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat. Halloween-themed content, from costume ideas to makeup tutorials and DIY decor, is hugely popular, with TikTok leading the trend due to its short video format, which meets Gen Z’s preference for quick and engaging content.
Self-expression: Creative Costumes and DIY
Gen Z prioritizes unique, often DIY costumes, favoring personalization over traditional or mass-produced options. Gen Z is known for borrowing pop culture and subcultures and nostalgia elements, current trends, and even memes to inspire their Halloween looks, which aligns with their desire for self-expression.
Zs look online on platforms like TikTok and Pinterest for costume inspiration, seeking a mix of originality, self expression and relevance.
The last Pinterest reports mentions that users are leaning into pop culture with searches for “it girl Halloween costumes” up 170% since last year, celebrating rising new pop stars and icons with signature style. Searches for “Charli XCX makeup” are reaching new heights with a 2345% rise, reflecting her edgy, bold aesthetic. People are also searching for sports-inspired looks with “sports costume ideas” increasing 265% on Pinterest. Vintage Halloween is a popular theme in both costumes and decor with trends like “vintage Halloween” rising 50%.
Interest in Horror, Paranormal and Halloween themes and love for nostalgia of the past
Zs have shown an affinity for horror, with horror films, paranormal content, and Halloween-themed streaming experiences being particularly popular. They have revived interest in classic horror and dark comedy franchises (Scream, Halloween, Evil Dead, Adams Family, Beetlejuice…) driven by nostalgia and streaming platforms.
Horror is trending right now. As explained by Dazed in this must-read article about why horror is so popular, "audiences seek out horror not just for the thrill, but for the opportunity to confront their fears during moments of collective unease."
Community and Social Events
Halloween provides a social and community-oriented space, which resonates with all generations. For younger kids in Gen Alpha, Halloween remains a community-centric event filled with traditional activities like trick-or-treating, while Gen Z (and not only) enjoys Halloween parties, haunted houses, and city events, emphasizing social connections and collective experiences. We know how much this generation craves communities and social interactions (ie my last article).
5 top Halloween campaigns and initiatives that resonate with Gen Z, unleashing nostalgia of cult horror and villain movies and unhinged content.
Thanks to two of my favorite LinkedIn voices, Elena Kirioukhina and James Denman , for spotlighting Saint Laurent and Levi’s Japan’s initiatives, which are the best finds so far in Fashion.
1. Saint Laurent: the “Bloody-filled” vinyl
Saint Laurent Frequencies, Saint Laurent’s recent music initiative, a kind of label known for releasing soundtracks associated with their fashion shows, has launched a limited vinyl edition featuring John Carpenter’s soundtracks for Halloween and Assault on Precinct 13.
Available in a limited quantity of 500 copies on ysl.com (already sold out), at Saint Laurent Babylone in Paris and Saint Laurent Rive Droite in Los Angeles, The “Blood-filled” vinyl features new interpretation of John Carpenter’s iconic electronic soundtracks curated by Anthony Vaccarello.
Alongside the “Bloody-filled” mix, both the Paris and LA stores also stocks a selection of rare and signed Halloween-themed memorabilia and collectables such as Halloween (1987) LP signed by John Carpenter, the original A Nightmare on Elm Street 3 vinyl by Angelo Badalamenti, a copy of The Occult, Witchcraft & Magic as well as vintage VHS tapes of Bride of Frankenstein, Rosemary’s Baby and Vampire Sacrifice.
Saint Laurent is not just a luxury fashion brand; it’s becoming a lifestyle brand and a legit voice for the art form. These bold and creative projects, supporting both iconic and emerging artists, reinforce its connection and legitimacy within artistic and cultural movements.
2. Levi’s Japan: What if you were suddenly bitten by a zombie on the street?
As mentioned by James Denman, Levi’s Japan saw in this video campaign an opportunity to connect devotion to product, classic, and humorous body horror.
Storyline: What if you were suddenly bitten by a zombie on the street? It seems they’ve finally managed to get their hands on the clothes they want to wear for eternity. Denim that ages well, is durable, and looks cool must hold a strong appeal for them, which is why they’ve come to Levi's.
It’s a cinematic, wildly unhinged, and darkly comical tale, placing the product center stage in the most unexpected way. A world where even the undead are desperate for fresh denim.
3. Uber Eats’ Don’t let Halloween sneak up on you
Uber Eats cleverly taps into a familiar consumer nightmare: last-minute Halloween preparations.
The video ad humorously captures the stress and anxiety of rushing to find costumes, candy, and party supplies. By positioning Uber Eats as the convenient solution, this ad reassures viewers that their Halloween essentials are just a few taps away.
This approach shows the importance of understanding customer pain points and how this insight can lead to memorable content and commercials.
4. Six Flags: “Tick. Tick. Tick.” horror short film
Six Flags, a popular chain of amusement and theme parks across North America, embraced the horror genre with their five-minute film “Tick. Tick. Tick.”
It's a nod to the 1970 American Crime drama film with a combination of horror and humor that appeals to teens and young adults (and more, I still love it).
The eerie tale follows a terrifying clown as he leads a group of housemates to Six Flags theme park for a spooky adventure.
This short film enhances Six Flags' image as a thrilling destination, creating engaging, shareable content that encourages audiences to visit and experience the park’s Halloween events in person.
5. NYX: "Who Stole Halloween?”
NYX did it again this year with a bold mystery-themed campaign featuring reality TV stars dressed as famous villains and cult horror movie characters mixing elements of pop and subculture, reality TV, and interactive engagement to generate excitement around NYX’s Halloween-themed makeup products.
Notable cast members include DJ Pauly D from "Jersey Shore" as The Joker, Nene Leakes from "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" as Poison Ivy, Christine Quinn from "Selling Sunset" as Catwoman, Cely Vasquez from "Love Island USA" as Freeze, Whitney Adebayo from "Love Island UK" as Freddy Krueger, and Tasia Hafenstein from "Love Island Australia" as Beetlejuice.
The campaign took the form of a reality TV-inspired series that follows the behind-the-scenes drama of NYX's Halloween shoot. Fans were invited to engage with the campaign by voting on who they think stole Halloween, with the chance to win $10,000. Episodes of the series were available on NYX Professional Makeup's social media channels starting October 1st, and voting was done on nyxcosmetics.com/whostolehalloween.
In addition to the interactive series, NYX has collaborated with renowned SFX makeup artist Mimi Choi to create six exclusive character looks. The campaign also introduces a new limited-edition collection, available globally, both in stores and online at nyxcosmetics.com.
This activation definitely feels more commercial and high-budget. The objective isn’t just about branding or creating a new experience; it’s clearly focused on driving product sales, and there’s no shame in that. However, according to Archrival’s latest report, “The State of Community: How Gen Z is Disrupting the Industry of Influence”, Gen Z increasingly spots when brands are trying too hard to go viral, so it might not resonate with everyone. Only the campaign and sales figures will tell. Still, the creativity of the concept and the artists involved deserved to be spotlighted.
That’s it for now. I hope you enjoyed these insights and selected initiatives as much as I did, and that they inspire you and your brand for the next Halloween.
I can’t wait for the next season!
My name is Aurelia Ammour. I’m a strategy consultant and youth culture trailblazer (I'm not an agency). I built a next-gen sneaker brand, SHOES 53045, from scratch as its CEO and CMO for 4 years. I was behind the scenes of many major strategic transformation and growth projects for notable names like LVMH, Kering, PUIG, Celine, and Loewe, collaborating closely with C-Suites. I’ve also worked as a VC. Today, I help create and develop visionary & iconic brands, products, and experiences that connect with Gen Z and are relevant in today’s culture across Fashion, Luxury, CPG, and Retail sectors.
More article are available on my Substack page.