Ad Age Insider

Author: Ad Age

Every week, Ad Age Insider helps make sense of what's happening across advertising, marketing and mediaand why it matters. Hosted by Parker Herren, the show features conversations with Ad Age editors and reporters unpacking the stories they're covering, with context, skepticism and perspective beyond the headlines. From shifts in power and strategy to cultural moments shaping the business of brands, Insider connects the dots across the industry. Subscribe to stay currentand see the industry more clearly.
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Genres: Business, Business News, Marketing, News

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Halloween marketing 2026: find your brand's weirdness, with Tim Nudd
Episode 46
Friday, 23 October, 2026

Ad Age Creativity Editor Tim Nudd breaks down this year's Halloween marketing trends: the move from ads to products and experiences, the blend of horror and comedy, nostalgia and IP tie-ins and a wave of brand-to-brand partnerships. He covers Pringles' burial urn, Rivian's Ghostbusters campaign, Twix's Zombie Claus and Cheetos' horror shorts with Blumhouse, plus the horror-parody trope he'd like to retire. Host Parker Herren and Tim also get into what marketers can carry past October: dig into your brand's weirdness, use physical marketing to stand out from the scroll and weigh whether IP will outshine your brand. Follow Ad Age Insider wherever you listen so you don't miss the next episode. See this year's Halloween Marketing Awards winners: ~Hay Day, Haunted Farms (Scariest Ad, runner up) ~McDonald's U.K., Spooky Sauce Face Paints (Best Spooky Product, runner up) ~Pringles, Once You Drop (Best Spooky Product) ~Herb Light, ScareBnB (Most Unique Take, runner up) ~Twix, Zombie Claus (Most Unique Take) ~Rivian, Ghostbusters (Halloween Campaign of the Year)