Halloween is no longer just about candy and porch pumpkins. It has become one of the country’s fastest-growing retail moments, with Canadians expanding how they spend, shop, and celebrate.
According to a 2024 Leger study on Halloween spending in Canada:
- 53% of Canadians celebrated Halloween last year, with 83% planning to spend the same or more.
- Over 47% of Canadians purchased 2-4 weeks out from Halloween, compared to only 34 per cent in 2023
- The average Canadian household spent $67.65 on costumes, candy, and décor.
- 73% of those purchases happened in-store—showcasing the importance of physical retail experiences during this season.
With Halloween being the second most commercially successful holiday after Christmas, it’s become a critical seasonal touchpoint for brands – with industries outside the expected jumping on the bandwagon. To associate a brand with Halloween, Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising has been a popular channel, using distinctive Halloween imagery alongside short messages to make the connection.
Scott Mitchell, Managing Director at Vistar Media Canada, said Halloween has really grown beyond candy and porch pumpkins.
“It’s now one of Canada’s fastest-growing retail moments. What we’re seeing in the data is that consumers are broadening their spending into categories you wouldn’t have associated with Halloween a few years ago. Décor is becoming bigger, seasonal food and beverage launches are drawing attention, and fashion is now a big part of the mix with themed apparel and accessories,” he said.
“The average household is now spending close to $70, and importantly, 83% of Canadians say they plan to spend the same or more this year. That tells us Halloween isn’t a niche holiday anymore. It’s a lifestyle event where people are looking to create experiences, whether that’s decorating their homes, hosting gatherings, or finding unique products that tie into the season. And with that shift, brands are looking to explore and participate in channels like OOH to align with these new behaviours and target their audiences when and where they’re ready to spend.”
Mitchell said one of the biggest shifts we’ve seen in Halloween consumer behaviour is in the timing of purchases.
“Almost half of Canadians bought their Halloween items two to four weeks ahead last year, compared to only a third the year before. That’s a pretty dramatic change in behaviour. For retailers and brands, the opportunity is to lean into that earlier window — to capture excitement and influence decisions before the peak season hits,” he explained.
“We’ve seen with other holidays like Christmas that consumers enjoy the build-up, and Halloween is starting to follow that same pattern. By launching campaigns earlier, refreshing creative in-store and online, or offering limited-edition seasonal products, brands can own the anticipation phase and build stronger connections with shoppers. Programmatic OOH allows brands to activate those campaigns early, then dynamically adjust messaging right through to the big day, making it incredibly agile and impactful.”
Out-of-Home is playing a huge role in how brands are associating themselves with Halloween, noted Mitchell.
“It’s such a visual holiday — pumpkins, bats, moody colours — and OOH is designed for bold creative that grabs attention in a split second. This year, we’re seeing brands use high-impact digital OOH formats, interactive campaigns, and simple but powerful seasonal messaging to make that immediate connection. What’s particularly effective is OOH’s ability to reach people in those moments when they’re already out — shopping, commuting, or heading to events,” he said.
“It’s not about forcing a message; it’s about becoming part of the experience and amplifying the seasonal mood. Brands can take that a step further by leveraging data to target audiences contextually and deliver the right creative in the right place, making OOH a precision tool for seasonal campaigns like Halloween.”
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