In any normal year, the bulk of the Halloween buying and planning would be done by this stage, but as we all know by now, 2020 is not a normal year. Amscan’s Sam Taylor, dress-up category manager and Emily Duke, marketing and design coordinator, shared their take on the situation as 31 October draws closer.
“We do feel there will be a bigger online influence this Halloween looking at the buying patterns over the last four months, but I still see high street and grocery stores being important, especially as lockdown begins to ease and consumers feel more comfortable about getting back in to retail.
Our Halloween was planned from October to December 2019. We are planning for a bigger Halloween than 2019, partly due to the weekend date and partly because the nation is looking for reasons to celebrate.
We expect to see the nation celebrate with home parties, with as many people joining in as the measures allow. There are alternatives to consider for activities such as trick-or-treating, but the essence of the celebration will still be there.
Costumes of course play a key role and we have introduced some new licensed lines such as Peppa Pig Halloween costumes, cult icons Stranger Things and a whole host of Warner Bros. villains such as Bane and Joker, as well as a comprehensive range of costumes, accessories and face paints for classic Halloween characters.
We understand that things are a little different this year and are offering flexible ordering to our customers as we want everyone to have a successful Halloween. What’s really important is that people celebrate in a fun, safe way.”
