From Candy to Cult Classics: Why Halloween Captures More Than Costumes

Halloween goes beyond costumes and candy

Halloween has moved far beyond a one-day celebration. Today it stretches across entertainment, shopping, digital platforms and seasonal traditions, creating one of the richest periods for brands to connect with audiences.

Streaming platforms like Netflix, Prime Video and Shudder fuel the fascination with horror and supernatural genres, while events ranging from pumpkin patches and autumn fairs to large-scale haunted attractions bring communities together. Conversations peak not only around trick-or-treating, but also themed snacks, viral costumes, seasonal décor and movie marathons.

The scale speaks for itself:

In the weeks leading up to October 31st, Halloween content generated over 69,000 articles and more than 3.1 million visits, with an average presence score of 4.0 across media.

This confirms Halloween’s status not just as a seasonal holiday, but as a cultural phenomenon where entertainment, commerce and community converge.

1. The hidden map of Halloween conversations.
2. Candy: nostalgia wrapped in chocolate.
3. Costumes and décor: DIY meets spectacle.
4. Movies: the heartbeat of Halloween storytelling.
5. Activities: from festivals to school crafts.
6. Haunted attractions and pop culture crossovers.
7. How brands can connect with meaning.
8. Halloween as a lesson in relevance.

Key Takeaways from Halloween Advertising Campaigns

• Brands can leverage neuro-contextual advertising to align campaigns with audiences’ passion, emotion, and intent.
• Halloween has evolved into a cultural phenomenon spanning entertainment, shopping, and community experiences.
• Key drivers include haunted attractions, fall activities, movies/streaming, candy, costumes, and décor.
• Candy and costumes mix nostalgia with creativity, fueling both tradition and DIY expression.
• Horror movies and streaming platforms anchor seasonal storytelling, keeping Halloween relevant for all ages.
  

The hidden map of Halloween conversations

When we look at the universe of Halloween content, some themes clearly dominate. Events and attractions lead the way, representing more than 40% of the conversation with over 16,000 articles and 637,000 visits. From pumpkin patches and farm festivals to Disneyland’s Oogie Boogie Bash and the Bronx Zoo’s Pumpkin Nights, audiences are leaning into experiences that combine festivity with community.

Close behind are fall activities and events with 14,000 articles and nearly 800,000 visits. Seasonal outings like apple picking, autumn fairs and even skywatching around the Hunter’s Moon have become part of the extended rituals, with brands like Time Out and Space.com shaping how audiences plan these experiences.

Movies and streaming also play a central role, generating 15,000+ articles and over 876,000 visits. Horror dominates the screen, from classics on Prime Video to cult hits from A24, with Netflix and Shudder cementing their place as go-to destinations for seasonal scares.

And of course, no Halloween is complete without candy, costumes and décor. These conversations are not just about what to buy, but about rituals of preparation: baking spooky recipes, crafting DIY décor, or curating the perfect outfit for the big night.

What emerges is not a single theme but a complex ecosystem of passions, one where entertainment, food and community overlap to create meaning.

Candy: nostalgia wrapped in chocolate

Halloween candy is more than sugar, it is tradition. Year after year, classics like Kit Kat, Reese’s and Snickers dominate conversations, but the real story is how these treats get reimagined. Homemade recipes turn candy into dirt pudding, puppy chow or monster themed snacks designed for parties and classroom fun.

This blend of nostalgic favorites and creative reinterpretations shows how candy fuels not just indulgence but participation. It is about crafting moments to share, whether with kids knocking on doors or friends gathering for a horror movie night.

Costumes and décor: DIY meets spectacle

Costumes have always been the centerpiece of Halloween, but the conversation today is broader. Beyond superheroes and princesses, people are embracing DIY culture mixing creativity with affordability. A red cape, some face paint, or even a pumpkin pillow can be enough to transform a living room into a Halloween set.

Decor too reflects this blend of personal expression and tradition. From fall garlands and skeletons to Pinterest worthy table settings, people are not just buying items, they are curating experiences. Halloween becomes a canvas for creativity, mixing the spooky with the playful and the homemade with the spectacular.

Movies: the heartbeat of Halloween storytelling

No other category cements the Halloween mood like movies. Seasonal classics such as Hocus Pocus, The Addams Family and The Haunted Mansion still dominate living rooms, while franchises like Halloween or Scream continue to evolve with new releases.

The cluster around horror movies and streaming reflects this passion, with 28% of visits concentrated here. From Netflix originals to A24’s critically acclaimed titles, audiences keep returning to horror as a defining ritual of the season.

At the same time, new productions and next gen horror directors keep the genre alive, attracting younger audiences and ensuring that Halloween remains both nostalgic and forward looking.

Activities: from festivals to school crafts

Halloween is no longer a one night affair. Autumn activities such as fairs, wine tastings and school crafts now form part of the extended rituals. Families explore fall outings, while kids bring the holiday spirit into everyday life.

Festivals and parties, from Mickey’s Halloween Party to Wicked Haunt Fest with its haunted walk throughs and beer gardens, showcase how Halloween thrives as a shared experience, something that unites generations, cultures and even brands looking to connect with audiences in festive, inclusive ways.

Haunted attractions and pop culture crossovers

Another cluster of interest is haunted attractions and spooky characters, generating over 317,000 visits. From New York’s Blood Manor to immersive exhibits like Dark Matter at Mercer Labs, audiences crave experiences that blend fear, art and entertainment.

Halloween also intersects with broader entertainment culture. Conversations around comics and entertainment clusters highlight Marvel, DC and Disney+ as cultural anchors, where superheroes, spooky storylines and cinematic universes merge with Halloween themes.

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How brands can connect with meaning

This is exactly where neuro-contextual advertising makes a difference. By combining neuroscience principles with Agentic AI, it interprets interest, emotion and intent in real time, moving beyond classification to understand how people think, engage and decide.

Behind these connections is Liz, our proprietary neuro-contextual AI. By mirroring the sophistication of human thought, Liz interprets deeper signals in real time and delivers high quality, privacy first, full funnel advertising across premium CTV, video and the open web. By decoding interest, emotion and intent, Liz helps brands align their campaigns with the very moments when people are most open to engagement.

Halloween as a lesson in relevance

Halloween proves that people’s passions are richer than any demographic profile. They are not just parents or students, men or women, Gen Z or Gen X. They are movie buffs, DIY decorators, chocolate lovers and festival goers.

By understanding these signals, brands can move beyond stereotypes and build connections that feel personal, emotional and timely. Neuro-contextual advertising offers the tools to do this at scale, while respecting privacy and ensuring campaigns are both effective and responsible.

Because in the end, Halloween is not only about costumes and candy. It is about shared rituals, creativity and community, and how brands that join those moments can truly resonate

Discover how Seedtag’s neuro-contextual advertising can help your brand win audiences through their interests, emotions and intentions. Learn more here.