Over the past few years, Halloween has quietly crept into India’s marketing calendar like a ghost that came for a party and decided to stay. Once an expat-only affair filled with plastic fangs and pumpkin props, it’s now a full-blown cultural moment where brands chase virality through haunted menus, spooky makeovers, and eerie discount nights.
From Fanta’s chucky-themed packs to Bata’s Frankenstein clogs, marketers are finding new ways to make fear both fashionable and profitable.
What’s driving this shift is a generation that thrives on pop culture, aesthetics, and experiences that translate well on social media. For them, Halloween isn’t about trick-or-treating; it’s about themed parties, bold looks, and Instagram-worthy backdrops.
And brands are catching on. From QSR chains and fashion labels to D2C beauty and nightlife venues, marketers are turning October’s spooky spirit into a creative playground mixing humour, fear, and FOMO into engagement gold.
This year, SOCIAL is leaning into satire with its nationwide ‘Corporate Hell’ theme, turning office burnout into a Halloween party. Across 45+ outlets, the chain has reimagined the workplace as a haunted maze of deadlines and endless meetings, complete with themed cocktails like CTRL + ALT + BOO, quirky décor, and DJ-led events.
Divya Aggarwal, Chief Growth Officer at Impresario Entertainment & Hospitality, says Halloween has evolved from a niche urban celebration into a mainstream cultural event that people across cities now look forward to. “It’s no longer about imitating the West; it’s about creative expression, humour, and shared experiences that resonate with a generation valuing moments over occasions,” she says.
For SOCIAL, Halloween isn’t about costumes but storytelling. Aggarwal explains that the brand always adapts global trends to local moods. “Everyone relates to the chaos of work life,” she adds. “So, the ‘Corporate Hell’ theme becomes more than a party, it’s cultural catharsis, done the SOCIAL way.”
While bars and restaurants tap into dark humour, Bata India has taken a lighter approach with its kids’ footwear line, Bubblegummers. This Halloween, the brand introduced spooky twist green clogs inspired by Frankenstein’s monster with glowing eyes and a screaming mouth, and red sneakers channeling vampire energy, fangs and all.
Badri Beriwal, Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer at Bata India, says Halloween has become a growing trend in Indian schools and neighbourhoods. “During this time, parents look for footwear that matches festive outfits, and many Bubblegummers' styles naturally fit the Halloween mood,” he explains.
Beriwal adds that for Bata, Halloween isn’t about pushing sales but participation. “It’s a light-hearted moment for children to express their imagination and connect with others. Our role is to enhance that experience with fun, comfortable footwear that fits right into their celebration,” he says.
Even if the ROI isn’t immediate, Halloween gives brands like Bata a valuable opportunity to build recall and engagement among young families. The shift isn’t just about aesthetics, it’s about timing and tone. Celebrated after Diwali, Halloween gives marketers a creative breather between traditional campaigns.
Soumabha Nandi, EVP – Creative Strategy & Growth, Social Panga, says what started as an excuse for agencies to buy fake cobwebs has now earned a permanent spot on brand calendars. “It’s still not fully mainstream, but it’s no longer experimental either. It’s the new ‘cool’ checkpoint for brands wanting to connect with youth culture,” he explains.
According to Nandi, Halloween gives brands a rare chance to drop their filters literally and figuratively. “It’s the one day they can embrace dark humour, bold aesthetics, and meme culture without overthinking it,” he adds.
He notes that F&B and nightlife brands led the way because they sell “experience,” followed by fashion and beauty which sell “transformation,” and now OTT platforms are joining in, offering “escape.” Everyone else, he jokes, is still figuring out how to justify a pumpkin in their post.
The evolution of Halloween marketing also signals a broader creative maturity in Indian advertising.
Mehul Gupta, Co-founder and CEO, SoCheers, believes that Halloween holds different meanings for different categories. “If your audience falls anywhere between 16 to 35, this moment can play a pivotal role in staying relevant in conversations. But it also has to align with what your brand offers. OTT platforms, QSRs, and fast-food chains can make it work because they can deliver an experience through themed content, limited-edition menus, or quirky campaigns. For others, it often ends up being just a social media moment — a way to join the chatter, post something timely, and move on,” he explains.
“Unlike festivals such as St. Patrick’s Day, Halloween enjoys a stronger cultural resonance in India,” Gupta adds. “We’ve grown up hearing ghost stories; now there’s a global day that celebrates that very idea. That’s what makes Halloween more relatable here; it taps into something that’s already part of our collective imagination.”
Vishal Prabhu, Creative Director – Strategy at White Rivers Media, believes the festival has moved from a borrowed trend to a homegrown opportunity. “What once felt like an expat novelty has become a deliberate marketing moment in urban India,” he says. “Today, lifestyle, F&B, and fashion brands treat it as a planned event to engage younger, experience-driven audiences.”
He adds that Halloween has grown into a “season of strategic creativity and commerce.” Beauty and fashion brands are launching limited-edition collections and AR try-ons, while F&B players are going all in with themed menus and immersive storytelling. For D2C brands, it’s a way to humanise their identity and build emotional connections. “It’s no longer just a celebration, it’s a cultural and commercial opportunity that lives across touchpoints,” Prabhu notes.
Vibhor Gulati, Co-founder of Defodio Digital, says, “In India, we don’t see Halloween as a Western festival anymore; we see it as a cultural canvas. It fits naturally because young Indians love role-play, transformation, themed parties, and social-worthy aesthetics everything the festival stands for.”
He adds that Halloween marketing works very differently from Diwali or Holi. “Traditional Indian festivals are emotional and family-driven, so brands usually stay warm and rooted. Halloween, on the other hand, is playful and pop culture–led, allowing for bold ideas, global characters, and quirky visuals.”
According to Gulati, while most brands still use Halloween mainly for visibility, categories like food, fashion, nightlife, and QSR are now seeing real sales, proving that spooky season isn’t just for scares anymore, but also for strategy.
Halloween may have entered India through expats and pop culture, but it’s staying because of storytelling. Whether it’s a haunted menu, a Frankenstein clog, or a meme that pokes fun at corporate burnout, the festival has become a mirror for modern Indian consumers, young, expressive, and always looking for the next big experience.
For brands, the message is clear: Halloween is no longer about ghosts. It’s about staying relevant and maybe, just a little spooky.
