Beth Ann Kaminkow’s Post

Why is Halloween such big business? What turned a pagan festival into a commercial juggernaut that commands entire grocery store aisles and takes over party supply shops from the middle of August onwards? Yes, it's a fun thing for all the family. Yes, it's an opportunity for showing off your creativity (without getting judged too harshly). But most of all, it's the mother of all one-upping, keeping-up-with-the-Jones's, FOMO-driven experiences! People spend billions of dollars trying to out-Halloween their neighbor's yard, out-costume their children's classmates, and out-candy the generous old person next door. Year after year, Halloween vendors deliver bigger, more lifelike (or is it dead-like?) decorations, and clever, meme-inducing costumes. And the Halloween FOMO machine keeps driving people to buy them... So what can we learn from this? Find ways to make your product or service visible to others when it's being deployed. If potential customers see existing clients benefitting from your solution, they're likely to want one for themselves. As Halloween demonstrates, it's human nature. Make the solution visible and distinctive. Post pictures of your solution in action—preferably ones that identify the lucky client. Co-author case histories with users that include photos of the solution being deployed. If it's a tactic good enough to promote a celebration of dead people and witchcraft, surely it'll work for your B2B business 🎃 #happyhalloween #fomomarketing #visualmarketing #b2bmarketing #b2bmarketingstrategy #strategicthinking

Halloween has transformed into a retail giant, with consumers expected to spend $11.6 billion this year. From costumes and candy to massive yard displays like The Home Depot’s iconic 12-foot skeleton, the holiday has become a marketer’s dream. Aimee O., The New York Times, explores how Halloween evolved from a modest tradition into one of the biggest consumer spending events of the year. Big retailers like Spirit Halloween, Home Depot, and Michaels Stores have capitalized on the growing demand, with Halloween merchandise now hitting stores as early as June. The result? A holiday that appeals to every age group and continues to grow, year after year. https://lnkd.in/d29_MfSa #HalifaxWest #WinTogether #capitaladvisory #MandA #restructuring #operatingadvisory #RetailTrends #Halloween2024 #ConsumerSpending #HolidayMarketing

Are you ready for your ride into Halloween? Halloween 2024 is shaping up to be a profitable season for businesses across the United States. With 72% of Americans planning to celebrate, retailers are gearing up for a surge in spending on costumes, decorations, and candy. The National Retail Federation projects total Halloween spending to reach a record $11.6 billion, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. This increase is driven by a combination of factors, including pent-up demand, rising disposable incomes, and a growing emphasis on festive celebrations. Beyond traditional retail, Halloween also presents opportunities for businesses in various sectors. Restaurants and bars can capitalize on themed events and seasonal menus. Entertainment venues like haunted houses and escape rooms can draw in thrill-seekers. Even online retailers can benefit from increased traffic and sales of Halloween-related merchandise. As consumers embrace the spirit of the season, businesses that cater to Halloween festivities stand to reap significant rewards. #halloween

My daughter recently turned 16, and we wanted to have a party.  It was a last-minute thing, and we pulled it together beautifully. She and her 15 friends, who comprised of Band and Guard kids, enjoyed the Black Light Room, as well as the Sweet Candy Bar. We incorporated gluten-free and dairy-free snacks for the few kids with issues. And, of course, I could then enjoy the festivities without worrying about consequences the next day. =) This post shows How I planned and decorated her glow-in-the-dark Sweet 16 party. We could have done one theme, but what's the fun in that? Instead, we had two party themes: a play on words theme related to Sweet 16 by creating a huge "Candy Bar" AND a Blacklight room activity that allowed the kids to have fun with neon colors and paints. Now, let me show you how we created this fabulous party theme. We called it "Marina's Sweet 16 Glow in the Dark Party"! First, we started out by getting the stuff for the black light room. We purchased many of these from Amazon, but the Dollar and party supply stores were also helpful.  We found many bracelets, wands, and necklaces there and found some adorable candy dishes and bowls for the Candy bar. Sweet 16 party idea Below is a black light we purchased from Amazon. Please note these are affiliate links through Amazon, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn affiliate fees if you decide to make a purchase. Then, when everything came, we could assemble the items and see what we had. It was entertaining to go through the house with the black light to see what would glow in the dark.  Did you know that Tonic water glows in the dark? It doesn't taste great, but it sure looks cool. How to Decorate For A Party We then set up the buffet tables and started prepping the arrangement. We created a menu that displayed on the table all the items we had on the candy bar, Visit the blog for more details. #sabrinasorganizing https://lnkd.in/diyYHVS #glowinthedark #sweetpartyidea #diyparty

As Halloween approaches, the market is witnessing a surge in demand for themed products and experiences. Retailers are capitalizing on the festive spirit by offering an array of spooky decorations, costumes, and treats. With consumers eager to celebrate, businesses are innovating to provide unique and memorable experiences, both online and in-store. This seasonal boost is a testament to the holiday's enduring popularity and its impact on the economy. Stay tuned for more trends and insights as we delve deeper into the Halloween market dynamics. #HalloweenMarket #RetailTrends

🎃 How are you standing out from competitors this Halloween? 🎃 Halloween is just around the corner, and it's time to start planning the big night! Halloween gives you the opportunity to maximise sales in a quieter October. What have you got planned for this year? Could you host a... 👻Costume contest 👻Halloween quiz 👻Karaoke night 👻Horror movie screening Or if you want to keep it low-key but boost sales, why don't you try offering: 🎃Themed cocktails 🎃Spooky snacks 🎃Set some sweets aside for your younger guests Halloween is on a Thursday this year, giving you two days to boo-st sales. In 2019, a Thursday Halloween led to a 13% sales increase*, with a 22%* boost over the weekend. So make Saturday as spooky as Thursday. Let's make this Halloween a memorable and profitable one! 👻🍻 #Halloween #Heineken #hospitality #makebusinesseasy #pubsandbars #pubs #insights #eazle *Source: SP&B -Trading Index Net Sales Halloween 2019

Here are 10 fun Easter facts I uncovered that I thought everyone might enjoy: 1. Eggs used to be colored with natural ingredients. To decorate eggs, people would use leftover onion peels, tree bark, and even flower petals used to be key ingredients to dye eggs. 2. The original "Easter Hare" would judge kids to see if they were naughty or nice. I guess Santa Claus has a monopoly on this now! 3. The most expensive chocolate Easter bunny ever cost $49,000! Its most expensive feature was the two solitaire diamond eyes. 4. The average shopper spends $169.79 during Easter. Good to to know for us e-commerce professionals. 5. Most adults prefer milk chocolate to dark chocolate. I guess I'm an outlier here! 6. Americans will consume more than 16 million jelly beans on Easter. Yum! 7. The Easter Bunny didn't always lay eggs. This didn't become a tradition until the Germans settled in Pennsylvania in the 1700s. 8. Buying a new outfit for Easter stems from a superstition. Back in the mid-1800s in New York, people believed that buying new clothes to wear on Easter would bring them good luck for the rest of the year. 9. Easter bonnets are a relatively new concept in the U.S. In 1933, composer Irving Berlin introduced the Easter Bonnet into American pop culture with his ballad "Easter Parade." Since then, Easter Hats have become a new tradition. 10. Easter is the second biggest candy-consuming holiday. Second to only Halloween. Happy Easter!

Happy Halloween from AWG! Here are some fun facts* about Halloween and Halloween candy: 🎃 92% of Americans celebrate Halloween some/all years (75% celebrate most years, 18% celebrate some years, 7% don’t celebrate). 🎃 Only 7% of the candy bought throughout the year is purchased during Halloween season. While 6% is purchased during other specific seasons, 87% of the candy purchased throughout the year is non-seasonal. 🎃 15% of people hand out 5+ pieces of candy to trick-or-treaters. While 12% hand out 4 pieces, 32% hand out 3 pieces, 35% hand out 2 pieces, and 6% hand out 1 piece. 🎃 56% of people hand out items to trick-or-treaters. While 35% let trick-or-treaters choose and 9% leave a bowl of candy by their door. *Source: National Confectioners Association Sweet Insights Survey 2023

🎃 Guessing prices during Halloween? Now that’s the real fright! 😱 💭 Ever noticed how the price of #Halloween candy creeps up as the 31st approaches, only to drop back down once the party’s over? Retailers know demand is at its peak for costumes, decorations, and treats, so they adjust 🏷️prices to match the Halloween rush, and then it’s back to discounts and clearance on November 1st. 🕸️ Another trick supermarkets use is dressing up standard products with Halloween-themed packaging and raising the price, like🦇 bat-shaped 🧄 garlic bread or spooky-labelled snacks, all with a seasonal price boost! But rather than relying on guesses,💡one helpful approach brands can use, is leverage consumer 📈 insights to make smarter decisions. Holiday season is a prime opportunity for using market simulations to explore the impact of seasonal pricing strategies.  🔎 With tools like #Promotion Lab, brands can experiment with various promotional tactics to find out which offers attract customers and provide the best value. 🔗 Find out more: https://lnkd.in/dux5KRsT 💬 What pricing tricks (or treats!) are you testing out this Halloween?

The Battle Between Halloween Weekends Has Its Winner…🎃 - 1.5% Weekend Lift: Tab volume over the second Halloween weekend (Oct 31 - Nov 3) was slightly up from the previous weekend, with sales coming in 1.5% higher. - 24% More Shots: Despite the second weekend lifting heavier overall, Halloween's first weekend saw a 24% spike in shot sales, showing strong guest enthusiasm. - 58% Halloween Night Surge: On Halloween itself (Thursday), tabs opened were 58% higher than an average Thursday in October. Halloween shows the value of themed nights for driving turnout and sales, even mid-week. Operators, how do you plan to leverage special events for more engagement in the months ahead? #Halloween #HolidaySales #B2B #AlcoholSales