Mars’ Post

5.2 weeks, on average. That's how far in advance consumers are making their Halloween plans, with candy shopping happening at about 2.5 weeks in advance. Read more insights in a new Mars Tricks, Treats and Trends report developed with Ipsos. https://lnkd.in/gmfAX5uS

Hello there, amazing community of parents! As the eerie season of Halloween is fast approaching, it's time to unleash our creativity and plan the kind of Halloween bash our kids, both young and teens, will not only enjoy but also remember for years to come. Our kids thrive on moments of magic and the sheer thrill Halloween offers serves as the perfect backdrop. According to a 2019 survey, Halloween ranks second only to Christmas in terms of holiday popularity amongst kids. It’s no secret why, as it invites everyone to step into character, enjoy some trick-or-treating, and engage in whirlwind party fun. We’ve discovered an enchanting guide to the ultimate Halloween party that dives into eye-catching costume ideas, original decorations, and spine-chilling yet tantalizing recipes catered to everyone's taste buds. The article emphasizes how crucial it is to venture beyond the expected and weave a unique experience that seamlessly blends with the chilling Halloween spirit. With this, you can set the tone of your gathering, allowing it to evolve into playful eeriness packed with fun, laughter, and memorable escapades. Every detail, right from the casting spell decorations to the finger lickin' good Halloween-themed dishes, to the bewitching party invitations, creates an unforgettable atmosphere that stirs excitement and curiosity. It's all about putting a twist on the classic Halloween features, so they mirror the interests of our modern-day young monsters and adult ghouls. It might sound challenging, but it is really about rekindling that childlike sense of wonder and excitement within us. Picture a party where kids come dressed as their favorite superheroes from the latest box office-hit or popular characters from their beloved books, while their unique Halloween-themed snacks await them. Let’s create not just a party, but an immersive experience that sparks their imagination and ignites their creativity. So, parents, are you ready to don your witches hat and carve out the best Halloween party ever? As you dive into the planning, it's vital to remember, the magic always lies in the details. Comment down your innovative Halloween party ideas, let’s inspire each other and make this Halloween spellbindingly memorable for our little witches and wizards out there! Happy haunting! Read the full post on https://lnkd.in/d83hjQqc.

In the past couple years research has been done on what Americans spend on Halloween. 10.6 billion in 2022 and climbing. Yes- you read that correctly. $10.6 BILLION. Here are a few tips to try to keep your personal spending in check: 1. Consider a costume swap. This works for kids and adults! 2. Check out Pinterest for great ways to DIY and/or ways to spruce up your swapped costume. 3. Pinterest also has thousands of ideas for easy, cheap ways to decorate. 4. Pledge to NOT buy any decorations before the holiday and instead choose that one item that you are pining for and pick it up on sale either Halloween Day or the day after when it is marked down. You can love and enjoy it next year (Delayed gratification is a skill to strive for!). 5. If you love giving out candy, opt to buy it on sale and consider leaving it at your neighbor's house until the big day. They are less likely to eat your stuff! You will save by not having to go buy more and your jeans will thank you too. Whatever you decide, planning and preparing early will always be a benefit to your wallet! https://lnkd.in/eafZUiyP

It's Labor Day! I remember when that was a day to both celebrate our hard work, and say good-bye to the lazy, hazy days of Summer, and hello to the cool evenings and colored leaves of Autumn. Now it's just another long weekend in a never-ending routine of School, Work, Expensive Shopping, Expensive out-of-home Eating, Expensive Leisure pursuits, Expensive Vacations, and some very creative budget management. I see that Retail America has acquired a very dark sense of humor - if you've noticed how Halloween has been juiced this year in all the stores. Some retailers have opened their own 'All Hollows' Eve' emporiums that rival those of the Christmas Season. They obviously know something about the American psyche ordinary people don't know. Adam's Family envy? Certainly, Raul Julia's, 'Gomez', was to die for. Acknowledging the growing retail importance of Halloween, and that our pets often eat better than we do, and many in foreign lands, I noticed this tidbit in Wikipedia, "30 million Americans will spend an estimated $480 million on Halloween costumes for their pets in 2018. This is up from an estimated $200 million in 2010." One suspects that number has doubled since then. Some say 'Horror' is cathartic. A way to deal with our fear of the dark and the unknown. If that's what's driving the dramatic explosion of Halloween decor and paraphernalia, I suspect it's entirely justified this year... while we can still indulge in a national dance of the macabre.

Continuing this week, we're counting down the #Top10Trends to watch for 2024... #5 Welcome Whimsy With a lot of serious concerns facing the world as we head into 2024, consumers are seeking to balance the weight of reality with touches of whimsy here and there. Just look at the recent spike in Halloween spending among adults (https://bit.ly/3TldQPP) or the ongoing nostalgic draw to the things we enjoyed as kids. The goal is to be transported (for a moment) to a simpler, less stressful time. For brands, think about how you can evoke nostalgia and bring appropriate levity to your #customerinteractions in 2024 to be a source of levity and joy.

🎃 Happy Halloween! In August? 💀 We noticed something interesting leading up to the 4th of July: most people didn’t start planning their celebrations until the last minute. It wasn’t until the first few days of the month that more than half had even started thinking about it. On the other hand, a LinkedIn News article earlier this week highlighted an earlier-than-ever push by retailers to display Halloween merchandise (something I witnessed firsthand this weekend when I had to take the long way around a store to avoid the skeleton pirates that my 3-year-old wasn't particularly fond of). So why the difference in 4th of July vs. Halloween? Do people really prioritize Halloween, or does it just reflect excitement around Fall? Is it an excuse to push the holiday spending season earlier? How early is too early? Maybe we should ask shoppers :) #RetailStrategy #ConsumerInsights #HolidayPlanning #CX TruRating

Trick or Treat! Anticipation is high for the spookiest night of the year. Nearly 7 out of 10 Americans plan to take part in the festivities this October, putting Halloween participation rates on par with pre-pandemic levels. Not only do people intend to come out in droves, but they’re going all out by spending more on candy, costumes, decorations, and pumpkins than ever before. Estimates put Halloween 2023 spending at a new billion-dollar record. Halloween 2023 spending will reach an all-time high of $12.2 billion according to the National Retail Foundation, a major jump from the $10.6 billion spent in 2023 and a massive increase from the $8 billion spent in 2020. The expected average Halloween spending per household jumped from 2022 levels to a new record high in 2023. This year, it’s estimated that Americans will spend an average of $108 on ghoulish preparations, up from the average $100 the year prior. https://lnkd.in/d3j-Suvw BIRD GEI Consultoria e Gestão de Idiomas #birdgei #gestaoeducacional #gestaoidiomas #consultoriaidiomas #consultoriaestrategica #languageconsultants #languagecoaching #languageservices #idiomas #developingskills #roimanagement  #balancedscorecard #dataanalysis #languageeducation #languagedevelopment #englishfluency #selecao #recrutamento  #processoseletivo #tradução #traducao #translations #halloween

EYSN shares funny 🤭 things every GOOD FRIDAY 🎅 to make both parents and kids laugh. Please share your thoughts with us! You can also send us your funny stories. We will be very happy and thankful to celebrate Good Friday together!" Disclaimer: No offense to anyone or any parties. This content is purely intended just for fun and to celebrate Good Friday with joy and laughter. #EarlyYearsStageNepal #goodfriday #funnymeme #fridaycelebration #FridayCelebrations #kids #men #kidsmemes #kidsmemories #meme

Know what Spirit Halloween's favorite costume is? A unicorn. 🦄 Quick caveat... Spirit's sales are not public. Given the trends in Halloween spending and Wall Street estimates that Spirit captures at least 10% of the Halloween market, that would put them at an annual revenue of >$1B. Their seasonal-only strategy has been THE defining piece of their success. The business hinges on: 🦄 Occupying spaces that would otherwise remain vacant, securing short-term leases at favorable rates 🦄 Easy decorations to assemble and break down, allowing them to efficiently enter and exit markets 🦄 Capturing demand at just the right moment—when Halloween shopping is at its peak—and eliminating year-long costs Speaking of its marketing… The brand has millions of followers across their social channels and leverages them to drop new costumes and inspo. They also post coupons to smooth demand and drive people to their stores earlier. Their brand has such a cult-following that they’ve even launched a co-branded Chipotle partnership and used their IP for a full-length Hollywood film. And it all happens during just 3 months of the year. What other industries are ripe to follow the Spirit Halloween model? P.S. I broke down the business behind Spirit Halloween in my newsletter this week! Make sure to sign up using the 🔗 below. #brandbuilding #casestudy #spirithalloween

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!