Candy makers around the world are wrapping up one of their industry’s high seasons: Halloween.
According to Yahoo!, chocolate and candy sales have hit $324 million so far this Halloween season, which is an increase of 48% compared to the same time period in 2020 — and a rise of 59.8% since 2019. When it comes to social video marketing around Halloween, candy consumers aren’t necessarily consuming Halloween-related content. And while trick-or-treating is typically reserved for kids, we all know who is purchasing the bags of miniature-sized goodies… moms.
So, how can candy makers reach consumers on social video?
We used Tubular insights to find out.
What content are they watching?
First, let’s talk about what they’re not watching. People who watch Halloween-themed content were most likely to buy anime movies, horror movies, gaming controllers, and costumes. Candy? Not so much.
While candy makers targeting spooky content won’t hurt, it probably won’t extend reach to new customers. Just because there’s an apparent correlation between video content and product doesn’t mean eCommerce behaviors are aligned.
So, what type of content are candy consumers watching on social video? Tubular’s Consumer Insights data tells us that those who watched videos about cereal, cider, department stores, and Halloween decorating are 6x more likely to buy candy online in October.
Where are they watching?
In October, properties that drove the most candy sales were Comcast, NBC, Viacom, and Warner Media. While kids might be running from house to house dressed as Elsa and Thor, their parents hold the wallet. As far as creators go, The Food Network’s channel specifically contributed to the most candy shopping overall. No surprise, Starburst partnered with a similar digital-first food creator, Tasty. Food Network viewers are also 40.6x more likely to watch Tasty content than average YouTube viewers. Similarly, Skittles partners with food creator First We Feast; our data shows that 37% of their audience overlaps with Food Network. Starbursts Partners with HGTV whose audience is 58x more likely to watch Food Network.
In this Food Network recipe video, Ree Drummond makes a Halloween Dirt Cup filled with pudding and topped with an assortment of spooky and chocolatey candy.
The use of candy in the recipe would incentivize people to make a purchase. However, the correlation between The Food Network and October candy sales has more to do with the viewer demographic. According to Tubular’s Intelligence platform, the vast majority of Food Network’s viewers are females 24-44, which could be classified as homemakers; and who’s stocking up miniature candies for eager trick-or-treaters come October 31st? That’s right… homemakers.
Our insights into eCommerce behaviors tell us that Halloween candy marketing shouldn’t always target Halloween-related content. In the same way, brands shouldn’t only partner with an influencer based on their followers because non-traditional influencers might have higher eCommerce power.
Understand where culture is today, and where it’s headed tomorrow. If you’d like to learn more about how Tubular can optimize your social video strategy, reach out here.
We hope you have a happy and safe Halloween weekend!