Halloween Petitions and Raving Traditionalists
I have been watching with some interest the emotional debate taking place online regarding Spirit Halloween's supposed campaign to move Halloween to the last Saturday of October. The campaign isn't what interests me, but the deep chasm it's created in my online circles is worth noting.
I've flippantly mused about this very thing in forums, and if I remember correctly, I said I wouldn't mind it so much but would prefer if instead we made it a whole week of festivities for Halloween.
I've stayed out of this new debate, chalking it up to another marketing ploy (a successful marketing ploy, hinging on the edge of going viral) to draw attention to their store. I wasn't about to get riled up or involved in the mess. And I wasn't going to give it air time on my blog.
But.
I underestimated the dedication Spirit Halloween has given to the campaign. Yesterday I got an email - where a living person actually took the time to type GF in the subject line - signed Elio Valenzuela, on behalf of Spirit Halloween.
Ok. You got me. I will weigh in on this.
First, let me share their e-mail message with you:
"I know that you and your readers love all that has to do with Halloween and Halloween fun, that’s why I thought you and your readers would like to know that we are trying to tell people about Halloweekend, a new movement to try to have Halloween on the last Saturday of October every year!
We invite you to join our quest to have Halloween changed to a Saturday. Not just this year, but every year.
Let’s face it: Halloween has outgrown the weekday celebration.
- Halloween is now the third-largest party day in the U.S., behind New Year’s Eve and the Super Bowl.
- Halloween is the second-largest holiday in home décor (inside and outside), behind Christmas
Saturday Halloween makes good sense.
- Saturday Halloween is more fun for friends and family. Parties last longer, families spend more quality time together — the world is a little happier.
- Saturday Halloween is unrushed. The kids can trick or treat before dark and parents don’t have to race home from work or worry about bedtimes.
So, take the pledge. Tell your friends. Join the movement on www.Facebook.com/SpiritHalloweekend. And let’s make Halloween the last Saturday in October every year! Let’s make it: Halloweekend.
And this is what I wrote to them:
It's such an interesting topic I HAD to respond.
First, I think this is marketing gold. You're definitely getting a lot of attention (at least in Haunter circles) from this - good and bad (is there such a thing as bad press?).
Personally, I'd be pushing for the last week of October to be a Halloween festival. This way Halloween stays on Halloween, but people can celebrate on either weekend.
With your suggestion just focusing on moving the holiday to a Saturday, I can't say I support the movement. In fact, push comes to shove, I'd have to say I'm against it (though I understand your arguments).
But it is entertaining to watch this all play out. A note of caution - the dedicated home haunters who are against it on various forums should never be underestimated when it comes to word of mouth. Get enough of them riled up about something, and it could hurt your "good will" and sales from the community. Something to keep in mind.
Take care,
Ghoul Friday
My Official Stance on this Whole Thing
I can't imagine Halloween not being on Halloween.
And why on earth would I support a movement that wants children to trick or treat before dark?
And are you new? People already throw their Halloween parties on weekends. You don't have to move it to a Saturday for them to do this.
In fact, it's better for most folks to have their parties on a different night than when the trick or treaters come by. A lot of people like to stay home to give out candy, so why create a conflict for party goers?
*sigh* See? You've got me all riled. Riled about a petition that I am convinced will have absolutely NO sway in the real world anyway so it's not worth even getting riled about.
But let's pretend just for a minute that this is something I should be taking seriously. That some idiot politician in the States will take notice of this and actually do something. And some stupid Canadian politician parrots the idea of said American politician. Then what? What is my response?
*leans forward in her chair as the lights dim*
If you really screwed up Halloween like this, I would never shop at that store again. I would make sure everyone I knew or came into contact with didn't shop at that store again. I (and a number of haunters) might even stand outside your new Canadian stores and offer customers advice on where to go elsewhere for better deals. I would add my voice to the countless nay sayers who have already brought the cacophonous cries of "No" to a crescendo, and spread the word online that Spirit Halloween doesn't care about its demographics. It doesn't care about the holiday. And it certainly could not give a toss about anything but money and marketing.
*leans back and smiles sweetly*
BUT I know this is just a smart marketing ploy so I don't have to get all riled, and I can enjoy the chatter on the topic. And I can still visit one of the many new Spirit stores that just opened for business in Ontario if I chose to do so.
And only while this campaign remains mildly entertaining, and doesn't start to irk me.
I should also mention a petition has been started for people against Halloween being moved, and even a Facebook group (their logo is at the top of this post) popped up in the last 48 hours though I can't imagine either is necessary.
I find Christmas is a nuisance when it's mid-week. Let's move it to a Friday to accommodate me. Jesus and Santa won't mind. And to hell with tradition.
So say we all.
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Submitted by Morbius Kromwell (not verified) on October 6, 2009 - 8:44am.From the marketing aspect, it's gold, but I have to totally agree - it makes no sense to move, and people already do party whenever - and this year many are moving their parties to Friday night so they can take their kids around and decorate their house. I'm not sure if the Canadian Spirit stores, one of which just opened here in dEdmonton, are promoting this too. I hope not...
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Submitted by Peanutgnome (not verified) on October 6, 2009 - 8:47am....when you pry it from...No, wait...You can have it. This batch is stale...
10/31 is Halloween. That won't change. Not even through some international campaign by a corporate entity. Do they seriously believe that their efforts aren't immediately transparent? At least political organizations adopt clever names and build seemingly non-biased websites (like online forum sock puppets) to deepen the propaganda and obscure their true intentions.
There was a time when Halloween was serious business. A sense of our own mortality was suddenly thrust into our hands and a real fear of the things beyond produced many of the traditions we now treat as simple holiday activities. That historical current doesn't sway because some Marketing Strategist and a CFO say the company can double sales by ensuring a weekend holiday. The real spirit of Halloween doesn't care when some company says it's time to celebrate. It starts on Oct 1 and reaches it's zenith on the 31st. And that's when I'll light the balefires.
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Submitted by KingUnicorn (not verified) on October 6, 2009 - 9:56am.You said it better than I could have!
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Submitted by LaciR (not verified) on October 6, 2009 - 11:35am.Thanks for trying to move pagan New Year to a time more convenient for your money-making opportunity, Spirit. Perhaps I can legitimately claim some kind of religious offense if you move forward with this. Yes, move Christmas, Easter and New Year's, too, while you're at it, and I think Rosh Hoshana is is an inconvenient place on the calendar, too.
In light of the fact that you are making this a campaign, I, too, will join the thousands of home haunters in never spending another dime in your store.
Bastards.
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Submitted by ShellHawk (not verified) on October 6, 2009 - 11:47am....read it, deleted it....and fumed about it for ...well, all weekend. I am in marketing and I know what I do is evil, but seriously people. Did they expect this to go over well with any serious home haunter?
Cheers!
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Submitted by The Frog Queen (not verified) on October 6, 2009 - 1:22pm.See? That's where I wonder if the marketing campaign took a misstep. While the general public shops at the stores, I wouldn't think they would spend as much money as the avid home haunter. And while there are a number of home haunters who would be happy with a Saturday Halloween, there are countless more who would protest the idea. And be insulted by the campaign. Insulted enough that they would take their business elsewhere. So why chance alienating your premium target market who spends 5 times as much as your regular customer?
Maybe it bothers me because it takes real balls to try and dictate when a holiday is. To tell me that me, my friends and my family will have to change a tradition to make it more convenient.
Part of the coolness for me as a kid WAS waiting for it to get dark. For the candles in pumpkins to be lit. To be a little jumpy at the sound of the wind, but safe in the company of friends or parents while out in the night.
And even the coolest display isn't half as exciting in the day time as it is at night.
I actually didn't realize how much the idea of the campaign bothered me until I got the email (and the notices, and the invites to groups) and I took it seriously for a second. Because I would think I'm in their target audience. And they don't know me or what I want at all.
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Submitted by Ghoul Friday on October 6, 2009 - 1:44pm.Yes, you/we ARE their target audience. Whether they intended it as a simple marketing ploy or a serious bid to change the holiday, I can't imagine SOMEONE at the Spirit headquarters didn't stop for a second and think this might tick off a few folks in the haunter community, that fantastic group of hard-core Halloween-lovers who spend their hard earned cash on Spirit's overpriced products.
If they are serious, they obviously don't didn't check with any real haunter focus groups first -- talk about biting the hand that feeds you.
If it's just marketing, it's irritating and insulting at best.
Thanks for posting this and weighing in.
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Submitted by reverb (not verified) on October 10, 2009 - 12:25pm.Jesus and Santa are going to GET you for that...but, not until the weekend....
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Submitted by Ghostsoldier (not verified) on October 6, 2009 - 1:42pm.lol Ghostsoldier
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Submitted by Ghoul Friday on October 6, 2009 - 1:45pm.Just commenting back from yours. Thank you. I think it will be ok. Going to wait a while before putting them back out. Was told snow was coming. Go figure. Too early for snow.
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Submitted by Deathtouch (not verified) on October 7, 2009 - 9:57am.No way, Halloween will always be on the 31st. I do have an alternate idea. Make the entire month of October a paid holiday. Can you imagine the stuff we could make if we had an entire month of paid vacation?
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Submitted by CB (not verified) on October 9, 2009 - 8:51am.If you can get someone to make the month of October a paid holiday, I will personally throw you a thank you party.
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Submitted by Ghoul Friday on October 9, 2009 - 8:58am.Very nice blog. Did you ever get a response to your message. Would like to hear. Also do you have a email so I can complain. Of course, I complained the other year when Elvira had her anti-Halloween song, and Elvira ripped me a new one because she says it was just in jest. But that is another story.
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Submitted by Deathtouch (not verified) on October 9, 2009 - 10:20am.Erased the email but I'm sure you can contact them through their website or their facebook group.
Few men can claim Elvira ripped them a new one.
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Submitted by Ghoul Friday on October 9, 2009 - 11:04am.I don't know how many times I've told people that Halloween on a Friday or Saturday is the worst. I hate having to choose between trick-or-treaters and going to a party. I'm always happy to hear someone understands.
P.S. I agree with your take on this. It's not gonna happen.
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Submitted by Creepers Creek (not verified) on October 9, 2009 - 4:04pm.I guess I'm in the minority to move it to a Saturday. I'm not really concerned with the motives of Spirit to increase their revenue - if it does, good for them. If more people shop at Spirit to put on haunts, good for everyone. Some holidays are designated as dates, some are designated as days.
When I look at my haunt falling on the weekend versus a weekday, many things go through my mind; logistics, actors, setup, preps, breakdown. Everything about a weekend is better with the extra time, and the next day being Sunday.
Additionally, I don't like see Halloween as a copy of other holidays; i.e. exchanging cards or gifts. Like Thanksgiving, it is a totally separate and unique experience during the year, of which I am a big fan. To me it is about the immensely satisfying feeling of building props, putting on a haunt, and providing people one of the thrills that they crave - to be scared. The last thing I would like see is Halloween be generalized and homogenized like so many other holidays.
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Submitted by Warrant2000 (not verified) on October 10, 2009 - 10:37pm.Post new comment