Are You Tricked Into Treating at Halloween?

Commercial advertising has successfully turned Halloween into big business. Few realize the magnitude of the impact of Halloween on society and the powerful economic forces at work designed to influence your behavior.

"Halloween has become the second most important holiday for advertising agencies and marketeers, having surpassed Thanksgiving, Easter and Labor Day. Information Resources Inc. estimates that $2.4 billion will be spent for Halloween snacks, candies, beer and soft drinks. Brand name product manufacturers spent almost $157 million in advertising during the Sept. 1 to Nov. 1, 1994, period..." (Advertising Age, October 16, 1995, p. 1, "Monster Event for Marketeers").

"Halloween is now considered the second-largest retail season in the nation, trailing only behind Christmas. It ranks as the third biggest party day of the year—behind only New Year's Eve and Super Bowl Sunday" (Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service, Oct. 28, 1994, "Halloween Is Big Business and Growing Bigger"). GN