Hollow Out Space to Serve Halloween Rebels

The National Retail Federation’s Retail’s BIG Blog is advising you to reserve space in your store for Halloween costumes, decorations, games, catering, or whatever else fits your business identity. It looks like a healthy Halloween season starting now.
     Yes, the pop-up Halloween stores opening all over could draw business away from what you’d offer. And Halloween is far from being the biggest consumer spending holiday time. It comes in behind Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Easter.
     Still, NRF predicts continuation in the upward trend for the number of consumers saying they’ll be celebrating Halloween and making that celebration last for all of October, not only the last day of the month of October. NRF notes that this is a presidential election season, and during the last one, in 2008, more than 570,000 Americans planned to dress up as a political hero or antihero.
     A consumer psychology analysis suggests 2012 will be bigger than the average past Halloween retailing season. That’s because, as St. Joseph’s University researchers conclude, Halloween is an “anti-festival,” with allowed and expected rebellion. And this is a time when the constraints of our Great Recession have nurtured a drive to rebel.

• In contrast to holiday seasons which are bigger-ticket takes, Halloween for adults means spending more time with nonfamily rather than family. 
• Unlike Easter, Halloween confronts death and decay, not rebirth and nourishment. 
• Like New Year’s Eve celebrations, the spirits of Halloween encourage trying on new roles and acting in uncharacteristic ways. 

     The aura of rebellion surrounding Halloween might trigger broader marketing opportunities. How well are you selling to rebelling? This marketing appeal isn't new. I'd be only somewhat surprised to learn that vendors had set up shop in Boston around 1773 hawking T-shirts reading, "I was at the Big Tea Party."
     Shoppers seeking rebellion tend to be young, hold values strongly, and/or perceive themselves as experts in the product or service category. That means your opportunities for selling to rebelling extend well beyond costumes. Findings from research at University of Pittsburgh and University of South Carolina suggest that self-perceived experts are especially likely to shop at retailers who categorize foods in rebellious ways.

• What products and services can you add to your current mix to welcome the rebellion-seeking market segment? 
• Which items in your current mix of products and services might you advertise in ways that will show off their rebellious sides? 

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Sell to People Who Want to Rebel