A look back at 'spooktacular' Halloween campaigns

Halloween originated from the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, celebrated over 2,000 years ago in what is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France. The Celts marked November 1 as the start of the new year and believed that on the eve of this day, October 31, the boundary between the living and the dead blurred, allowing spirits to roam the Earth. When Christianity spread through Celtic lands, Samhain traditions merged with All Saints' Day, and over time, Halloween became a festive, secular event characterised by costumes, bonfires, and games. Today, Halloween is a major celebration in countries like the United States, Canada, Ireland, and the United Kingdom, where activities such as trick-or-treating, costume parties, haunted houses, and pumpkin carving are widely popular. 

And brands are not far behind, as the year gets colder and spookier, they come up with campaigns that are innovative and fun, capturing the spirit of Halloween through themed promotions, creative advertisements, and engaging experiences. It could be a spooky 16mm short black-and-white film, which looks like it was shot by Bergman himself or a hungry ghost who just needs a chocolate nut bar, or even better, a super realistic prank that will stop your heart for a second.

Let us take a look at a few of the Halloween campaigns from the past years.

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