Halloween is more than just spooky costumes and trick-or-treating — it's a fantastic opportunity for beauty and skincare brands to connect with customers in a fun and engaging way. With the right marketing strategies, brands can stand out and drive sales during this festive season.
Below, you'll find our top 12 Halloween advertising ideas for beauty and skincare businesses that can help create a buzz during one of the most popular seasons for makeup lovers.
1. Create themed products
60% of consumers are driven to make a purchase due to one key factor: the fear of missing out (FOMO). Offering limited-edition products is an effective way to tap into this mindset.
Brands can take advantage of FOMO by releasing limited-edition Halloween collections with themed packaging, spooky product names, or festive colors. For instance, beauty companies could launch a pumpkin spice face mask or a witch’s brew eyeshadow palette. These releases also build anticipation for future seasonal collections.
2. Offer Virtual Makeup Try-On
With the rising popularity of augmented reality (AR) technology, brands can create an engaging Halloween experience for their customers through virtual makeup try-ons. Users can try spooky looks with AR filters and share their selfies on social media.
For example, Perfect Corp. offers an AI-powered virtual try-on tool that beauty brands can use to create these filters. It promotes Halloween-inspired looks and boosts advertising efforts by encouraging buyers to explore makeup styles virtually before purchasing.
3. Use Interactive AR Packaging
Cosmetic companies can take packaging to the next level with AR elements that provide customers with an interactive Halloween adventure. When scanned with a smartphone, the packaging can reveal a spooky character or Halloween-themed animation, creating a unique unboxing experience that customers will love to share on social media.
4. Engage With Social Media Contests
Few things boost engagement for a brand during the holiday season like a social media contest. For example, makeup retailers can organize a Halloween makeup challenge, inviting user s to create their own spooky looks using the brand’s products.
They can then encourage participants to share their entries on social media using a branded hashtag for a chance to win exclusive prizes, such as a full makeup kit or a gift card.
5. Run a "Scary Good Skin" Campaign
Halloween is the perfect time to emphasize skincare, as many people use heavy makeup for costumes. For example, skincare companies can launch a "Scary Good Skin" Halloween advertising campaign to share tips on caring for skin before and after Halloween makeup.
Perfect Corp.'s AI Skin Analysis tool provides personalized skincare recommendations to help customers discover products that address their unique skincare needs. This supports post-Halloween skin recovery and encourages exploration of skincare products.
6. Collaborate With Influencers
85% of brands find influencer marketing impactful because of authenticity and trustworthiness. Brands can work with influencers by asking them to create Halloween makeup tutorials using the brand's products or host Instagram takeovers where they demonstrate various Halloween looks, boosting visibility and providing customers with fresh inspiration. Furthermore, with the AI Fashion feature in the YouCam suite of apps, influencers can elevate their content by generating different clothing options in their photos.
This innovative Gen AI tool allows them to showcase multiple Halloween costume ideas in a single post, sparking creativity and helping their audience visualize endless possibilities. Influencers can quickly experiment with styles, offering fresh and dynamic content without the need for physical wardrobe changes.
7. Host Virtual Events
Hosting virtual events can be a fun way to show how a brand’s products can be used to create the perfect Halloween look. These can include live makeup demos or webinars on skincare tips for the fall season.
This is another ideal opportunity for Halloween advertising using Perfect Corp.'s AI Skin Analysis technology. Your brand can offer personalized recommendations in real time during the event, creating an informative experience that showcases your expertise.
8. Create Eye-Catching Visuals
Incorporating spooky aesthetics into marketing materials is an effective way for brands to create a consistent Halloween theme. From website banners to social media posts, elements like cobwebs, pumpkins, and eerie color schemes can make visuals stand out.
Creative packaging can also capture attention and generate excitement for the season, strengthening the connection between the brand and consumers looking to celebrate the holiday.
9. Run Promotions and Discounts
Halloween-themed promotions and discounts — like "boo-tiful bundles" or flash sales — can motivate customers to make a purchase by tapping into the festive spirit. Consider offering Halloween advertising deals like “Buy One, Get One 50% Off” on specific products or a discount code hidden in a “trick-or-treat” email campaign. Limited-time offers create urgency, boosting sales.
10. Support a Cause
Brands can collaborate with a charity or run an awareness campaign that aligns with the Halloween theme to highlight their social responsibility. For example, beauty labels can donate a portion of sales to a cause related to breast cancer awareness, which is also recognized in October. Undertaking an endeavor like this creates a positive brand image and inspires shoppers to support a brand that gives back.
11. Host a Haunted House Pop-Up Experience
A big part of Halloween is haunted houses. Brands can leverage this by offering a themed pop-up shop designed like a haunted house, where customers explore different 'rooms' showcasing various products.
Adding virtual reality (VR) experiences helps shoppers learn about skincare and makeup while enjoying the Halloween vibe.
12. Celebrate Customer Engagement
Brands can highlight customer looks on social media by thanking them for participating in Halloween campaigns and showcasing how they've used products to create spooky styles. Sharing user-generated content like makeup transformations or skincare routines creates a deeper sense of community, while a “Look of the Week” spotlight keeps momentum throughout the season.
Celebrate Halloween With Increased Customer Engagement
Halloween advertising presents plenty of exciting and engaging opportunities for beauty brands. By implementing these marketing ideas, brands can boost engagement and drive sales and brand loyalty.
Discover how Perfect Corp.’s AI and AR solutions can help brands create immersive and engaging experiences this spooky season. Visit PerfectCorp.com to learn more and schedule a demo.
FAQ
How can beauty brands stand out with Halloween marketing ideas?
Beauty brands can stand out by using AR and AI technologies, creating themed products, and engaging with customers through social media contests, virtual events, and influencer collaborations.
What are the benefits of using AR technology for Halloween marketing?
AR technology improves the customer experience by allowing shoppers to try on products virtually, creating an interactive and personalized shopping journey.
How can Perfect Corp. assist with marketing ideas for Halloween?
Perfect Corp. offers innovative AI and AR solutions that enable beauty brands to create personalized and engaging experiences, driving customer engagement and sales.