Think Jams insights team gives you a snapshot of the conversation around Halloween. This taster report looks at Global and US/UK specific data pulling out key insights in the lead up to, and on Halloween. If you want to know more about our insight offerings and packages please contact our Head of insight, louise.engelbertsen@thinkjam.com

1. HALLOWEEN
2019.
C O N V E R S AT I O N A N A LY S I S

2. Positive mentions are driven by people reminiscing their previous Halloween parties and costumes, whilst also celebrating their favourite
characters and films associated with Halloween. The negative mentions are focused on people wearing costumes that many feel are
inappropriate, particularly amongst themes focusing on immigrants and victims of shootings.
S E N T I M E N T D R I V E R S
There were 1.1 million mentions around Halloween in October with men and women almost splitting the mentions evenly. The conversations are
driven by the US with 70% and the holiday has a clear positive dominance with 67%.
F U N F O R E V E R Y O N E
Across both the US and UK, the political landscape shapes conversations, with many using Halloween as a time to make fun of famous politicians
and comparing the current pulse of the nations with horror movies. The other big common topic is driven by celebrities and what they are
dressing up as, serving as inspiration and discussions on who has won Halloween bragging rights.
C U L T U R E O F N O W
H A L L O W E E N
Source: Meltwater listening 1st October 2019 – 31st October 2019
SUMMARY

3. There were 1.1 million mentions of Halloween
costumes and dressing up in October
generating over 3 billion impressions.
T O T A L V O L U M E &
I M P R E S S I O N S
67% of all Halloween dress-up
conversations are positive with friends
and family sharing ideas and images of
what/who they are wearing.
S E N T I M E N T
H I G H L I G H T
The US is the key market with 70%
SOV, followed by the UK on 7%,
Canada with 5% and Australia on 1.3%.
M A R K E T S
H I G H L I G H T
H A L L O W E E N
SOCIAL LISTENING SNAPSHOT
Source: Meltwater listening 1st October 2019 – 31st October 2019 English language

4. 52%
WOMEN
48%
MALE
H A L L O W E E N
THE CONVERSATION AUDIENCE
42%
PARENTS
Source: Meltwater listening 1st October 2019 – 31st October 2019

5. T A L E N T C O M P A R I S O N S
AUDIENCES – DEMOGRAPHICS
G L O B A L U K U S A
Source: Think Jam Third Party Licensed – Demographic and Psychographic Tools

6. H A L L O W E E N
OCTOBER - TRENDS OVER TIME
P L A N N I N G S T A R T S
N O S T A L G I A
L U L L
I N S P I R A T I O N
B U I L D U P
& S H A R E S
S L O W D O W N
C E L E B R A T I O N S
There are three periods during Halloween that creates a surge in volume. Build up to Halloween media stories that are then shared by their readers. The
second jump happens in the days just before the 31st
with discussion around outfits, planning for parties and celebrity stories. The spike in mentions happens on
the day, with pictures of costumes, decorations and family and friends event dominating.
K E Y L E A R N I N G :
Source: Meltwater listening 1st October 2019 – 31st October 2019
O C T O B E R 2 0 1 9

7. CHILDREN
Parents are heavily involved in
the social conversations
around Halloween with stories
of their children's preferred
costumes and sharing family
pictures across all social
media platforms.
PARTIES
Halloween parties are discussed
throughout the whole of October.
Build-up and inspiration
dominates the first week and photo
sharing drives engagements.
POLITICS
There is a big conversation
around politics during this
Halloween, with costumes of
famous/infamous politicians and
what is political correct to dress
as being the two main topics.
CELEBRITIES
Celebrities and their costumes and
the parties they go to are widely
shared during Halloween, with the
days leading up to the 31st
focusing
on the previous years to compare
with this years events.
4
2
3
1
H A L L O W E E N
LEADING GLOBAL TOPICS
Source: Meltwater listening 1st October 2019 – 31st October 2019

8. CELEBRITIES
The fact that Halloween has
been a yearly tradition in the US
for a longer period than in the
UK also means that there are
bigger celebrity parties which
drives conversations in the US.
FILMS
During the lead up to Halloween
there is a big increase in horror film
discussions, not just for new releases
but going back to the audiences old
favourite’s and sharing the films that
really scared them.
POLITICS
The election and the stories
around the president has
created a surge in people
comparing the current political
landscape to a horror film.
CHILDREN
The trick and treat tradition is a
very popular topic, with parents
sharing pictures of the costumes
and the trick or treat results
popular sub-topics.
4
2
3
1
H A L L O W E E N
LEADING USA TOPICS
Source: Meltwater listening 1st October 2019 – 31st October 2019

9. CHILDREN
Halloween in the UK are slightly
more focused around family and
smaller gatherings than in the
US, with children's parties more
prevalent here than the trick or
treat tradition in the US.
FRIENDS
There are big party planners and
images shared in the UK in
association with going out and
partying than with films which
dominates the US.
POLITICS
In the UK the political landscape
has also been tumultuous in the
last year, so the conversations
around Halloween are driven by
jokes about Brexit or comparing
the political landscape to
a horror show.
FANCY DRESS
The type of costumes worn in the UK
are also more focused on fun rather
than scary and horror, with characters
not necessarily associated to scary
things.
4
2
3
1
H A L L O W E E N
LEADING UK TOPICS
Source: Meltwater listening 1st October 2019 – 31st October 2019

10. During Halloween fans of franchises get to celebrate their fandom
and connect with other fans. This is true for both recent franchises
(Stranger Things) as well as older established ones (Star Wars,
Harry Potter).
F A N D O M
The nostalgia around Halloween is two folded, with parents
thinking back to when they went trick or treating, but for the
younger audience it’s driven by films and favourite characters and
costumes.
N O S T A L I G A
There is a silliness attached to this holiday that comes across very
clearly. There is plenty of banter and using horror and gore to
make fun of friends, using film clips and characters to comment on
what’s happening in their lives and broader cultural events.
P O P - C U L T U R E F U N
J OY A N D
J O K E S
P O P
C U L T U R E
F U N
F A N D O M
N O S T A L I G A
H A L L O W E E N
DRIVING POSITIVE SENTIMENT
Source: Meltwater listening 1st October 2019 – 31st October 2019

11. The discussion around the ”sexified” costumes that are made for women
as well as women being criticised for not being pretty enough or being
called derogatory terms, also causes an increase in negative mentions.
S E X I S M
There are plenty of conversations around people dressing up as
immigrants and refugees which is causing plenty of controversy. People
who support it are saying it’s raising awareness, but they are getting
heavy backlash with many feeling it’s mocking the suffering of refugees.
I M M I G R A T I O N
There is also a large discussion around people who are dressing up as
victims of shootings, using imagery from news and social media to
recreate scenarios. There are also people dressing up as the shooters,
again using social media imagery. These are focused in the US and have
faced heavy backlash, across both social media and forums.
S H O O T I N G S
H A L L O W E E N
Source: Meltwater listening 1st October 2019 – 31st October 2019
TR OL L S S H O O T I N G S
S E X I S M
I M M I G R A T I O N
DRIVING NEGATIVE SENTIMENT

12. 46%
69%
85%
7%
15%
23%
Halloween SeriesHocus PocusBeetlejuiceScream DraculaThe Shining
H A L L O W E E N
RELATED MOVIE CONVERSATIONS - USA
Source: Meltwater listening 1st October 2019 – 31st October 2019
Methodology: % of all movie or film title conversations around Halloween
In the US, the horror classics dominate, with the Halloween series and
Hocus Pocus by far the most mentioned films. The conversations around
Dracula and The Shining are very much driven by the performances by
Gary Oldman (Dracula) and Jack Nicholson (The Shining).
H O R R O R C L A S S I C S

13. 44%
48%
81%
16% 17%
38%
Halloween Series5th ElementHarry PotterShaun Of The Dead Hocus PocusBlade Runner
Methodology: % of all movie or film title conversations around Halloween
H A L L O W E E N
RELATED MOVIES CONVERSATIONS - UK
Source: Meltwater listening 1st October 2019 – 31st October 2019
The UK movie habits around Halloween focuses on the nostalgia and
“family friendly” films even though the Halloween series is by far the most
talked about films. There are also a stronger presence of British films with
the Harry Potter franchise and Shaun of the Dead also popular.
N O S T A L G I A A N D F A M I L Y

14. H A L L O W E E N
CHARACTER COSTUMES
C H A R A C T E R
T H E J O K E R
H A R L E Y QUIN N 2 8 %
H A R R Y P OT T E R 2 6 %
CR UE L L A DE V IL 2 3 %
P O L I T I C S
D O N A L D T R U M P
BOR IS JOH N S ON 1 2 %
BA R A CK OBA M A 1 0 %
KIM JON G- UN 6 %
H O R R O R
C L O W N
V A M P IR E 2 1 %
Z OM BIE 1 6 %
9 %
C E L E B R I T Y
B E Y O N C E & J A Y - Z
A R IA N A GR A N DE 1 9 %
KYL IE JE N N E R 1 8 %
N ICKI M IN A J 1 0 %
Source: Meltwater listening 1st October 2019 – 31st October 2019
34% 29% 25%58%
A L IE N

15. THANK YOU