It feels like a long time ago now, but with Christmas out of the way and trade show season upon us, it’s a good time to find out how 2018’s Halloween season was received, across the business. Palmer Agencies’ Sergio Battaner shared his opinion on the party trade’s biggest season.
How was Halloween 2018 for you?
“This year was an okay Halloween. It certainly was not the best on record, but it was certainly not the worst! Retailers have last year to compare it with and on the whole it come out on a level with 2017.”
What were the good points?
“The beauty of a weekday Halloween is that the pressure is not as concentrated as it can be on a weekend dates and the parties are extended over a longer period, which spreads the workload a little! Overall, 2018 was a solid Halloween, with no particular boom in sales but a consolidation of existing levels.”
Did anything do particularly well and did you spot any new trends?
“Animated figures came in stealing the show and in fact we had to say no to quite a number of lines as we were completely sold out! Michael Myers was resuscitated and became once again a central character to the celebration, as well as our own Ghost Face from Scream.”
How would you sum up the current state of Halloween business?
“Costumes have been on the receiving end of negative media for a while now and this year was no different. First it was price, then it was safety (thanks to a few disreputable trades/importers who have no respect for the health and safety legislation in place). Costumes still play a key part in any retailer’s Halloween programme, but they are certainly dropping their weight in the equation in favour of accessories, masks (which are the big winner here, particularly the better ones), make-up and décor.”
