Halloween is almost upon us, and some brands are stepping up their marketing strategies for the spooky season.
Read on to learn how savvy companies are marketing everything from “scary” pre-rolls to real-life collaborative events.
INSA and Witch DR’s shrieking shuttle
Nobody does Halloween like Salem, the town famously named after Sabrina the Teenage Witch’s cat. INSA, a local dispensary, and Witch DR, a head shop, have teamed up to run a Halloween shuttle between their two locations (about a ten-minute trip as the crow drives). Those who dare to brave the trolley will get deals on Witch DR products and can buy limited-edition INSA goodies like pumpkin pie bars and caramel apple drops. Plus, if you buy a glass Witch DR piece at INSA, the head shop will customize it, further incentivizing customers to visit and spend at both stores it for free. The shuttle started last weekend and will run this Saturday and Sunday, too.
Rocket Seeds’ spooky strains
Rocket Seeds is using the holiday to lure in new growers with their “Halloweed Extravaganza,” or 25 percent off specific Halloween-themed strains — like Black Widow, Ghost Bubba and Hellfire OG — until Oct. 31. The company bills itself as a user-friendly platform, with lots of info for first-timers and hobbyists looking for a foray into growing their own pot. That could pay serious dividends if Rocket Seeds can attract people at the beginning of their budding journey and provide a seamless, easy experience — making them want to come back time and time again for their growing needs.
Coast’s Cookies and Scream bar
For the second year in a row, Coast has dropped its limited-edition Cookies and Scream bar just in time for spooky season. The company does a normal cookies and cream bar, but the Halloween version uses red dye — “So it looks like a murder scene,” co-owner Angela Brown told the Boston Business Journal. Coast tripled their batch this year since they sold out in a week last October, but the treat flew off the shelves even faster this time. The rest of the Biz Journal piece is worth a read, as Brown talks about why red tape makes dropping a seasonal cannabis edible way more difficult than a normal limited-edition chocolate bar.
Garden Remedies’ pumpkin pie chocolate bar
Pumpkin pie isn’t exclusively a Halloween treat, but Garden Remedies is betting consumers would love to find a pumpkin pie bar in their trick-or-treat bags. Garden Remedies’ 20-piece seasonal chocolate bar has about 90-110mg of THC and goes for $30. Since GR is a higher-end brand aimed at discerning consumers, the bar is actually reminiscent of a pie, — it has a graham cracker base topped with Callebaut white chocolate with pumpkin pie spice. It’s especially clever in the lead-up to Thanksgiving, when gourdlike treats are top-of-mind for all, whether they have the munchies or not.
Emjay’s big bad bundle
What’s better than one seasonally appropriate weed treat? Three seasonally appropriate weed treats, of course. Delivery service Emjay has combined three Halloween-themed products into one “Tricks & Treats Bundle.” The basket contains:
- Lowell Farms’ Haunted Hybrid pre-roll six-pack. These limited-edition joints (3.5 grams of flower in total) pack a punch at 26.81 percent THC, and even come with matches and a strike pad — classy.
- Connected’s Nightshade pre-roll (note: not poisonous). This potent indica-leaning hybrid comes with a creeping body high, perfect for getting couchlocked and watching scary movies.
- Kiva’s Camino Midnight Blueberry gummies. These edibles have 5mg of THC and 1mg of CBN per piece, for a total of 100mg in the 20-gummy container. They give customers a “sweet sedating body high,” per Emjay.
All in all, it’s a tidy piece of marketing, aimed at people feeling the fall spirit and looking to try some new stuff, or to get a fun seasonal gift for a beloved fellow stoner.
