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In 2023, Gen Z turned Halloween into a $12.2 BILLION holiday.

The demographic’s spooky season obsession took over social media feeds last year.

And, this year, brands are already jumping at the chance to get in on the fun (and the, um, revenue). Halloween is a mere 7 weeks away, so today you’ll find out how you can prepare to make a killing this October.

In today's newsletter:

• Gen Z is fuelling a Halloween spending frenzy (find out how your brand can use social media to capture this Halloween-obsessed audience)

• Pitbull names a Florida university stadium after himself (here’s why this is such an epic deal for Pitbull—and the school)

• Trend plug - I am always two steps ahead

• Ask the Editor - How do I balance creative/ trend content with content that sells our products?  

- Charlotte, Editor ♡

p.s. If you haven’t already, can you please take this 1-minute survey? We want to understand YOU better so we can keep improving YAP 👇👇👇

It’s the most wonderful time of the year.

Ew – not Christmas. No.

HALLOWEEN.

The day I celebrate better than I do my own birthday.

Shock, I know.

I’ve been obsessed with the macabre since I was a child. But that's not the only thing about the holiday that captivates me. It’s the essence, the spirit of Halloween, if you will. Everything feels a little dark, chaotic and exciting.

Turns out I’m not the only one with an affinity for All Hallows’ Eve. Gen-Z feels the same way.

Halloween has always been a retail hotspot.

But in recent years, Halloween sales have been booming, with 2023 spending reaching up to $12.2 billion.

After COVID, consumers have increasingly invested in lavish décor. However, the holiday is allegedly reaching new heights with its amplification by Gen Z on social media. And we see that reflected in the demographic's spending.

Last year, 91% of Gen Z-ers between the ages of 12 and 22 said they would be celebrating Halloween. Roughly 70% of those Gen Z consumers said they planned to spend money on costumes. And more than half (58%) reported they would be purchasing Halloween decorations.

So, it’s no wonder brands are doubling down this year to capitalise on the action.

[Keep reading]

-Sophie, Writer

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Pitbull Names a Florida University Stadium After Himself

Mr Worldwide (AKA Pitbull) has just scored big. In a clever move, he's signed a deal to have a football stadium named after him at Florida International University.

As if he needed another moniker, Pitbull now also goes by Mr. 305, which is a nod to the area code of his hometown, Miami. Pitbull says he finds himself drawn to the Florida city. So taking on this name is about 'Inspiring the community, creating opportunities and showing the world that anything is possible.'

So when you want to feel more connected to your hometown, I guess the logical next step is to buy a local university stadium. But as heart-warming as this narrative is, there's a little more strategy behind this purchase.

Renaming the stadium was a power move and a clever marketing ploy—for both Mr Worldwide and Florida International University.

Why would Pitbull want his name on a stadium?

No artist in history has ever done this before. Pitbull is, therefore, entirely accurate when he claims that he and FIU are making history together. This novel idea allows Pitbull to place himself in the centre of a well-established community.

Students and athletes will no longer be practising on just any old school ground. They'll be using Pitbull Stadium.

[Keep reading]

-Kaavya, Intern

Trend Plug - I Am Always Two Steps Ahead

Today's trend comes from an infamous line out of YouTuber Nikocado Avocado's return video.

In the video, he reveals himself, 250 pounds lighter than before. This shock revelation has sent the whole internet into a frenzy about how he hid his weight loss over 2 years. Especially since his previous upload was just 7 months ago! 

The sound has garnered over 3000 videos in JUST 3 days, as creators use the now-iconic line, 'I am always two steps ahead' to show how they are always thinking ahead.

For example, not caring how much they eat because they can always lose the weight, or when someone tries to hurt your feelings but you're your biggest hater.

How to jump on this trend:

Tap on this sound and lipsync the line, 'I am always two steps ahead,' putting extra emphasis on the word 'always'. Don't forget to add onscreen text relevant to your scenario.

A few ideas to get you started:

• When my client cancels our meeting last minute, but I wasn't prepared anyway

• When my intern thinks they're done with all their work, but I've got a whole list of tasks for them

• When I cancel my subscription before the free trial ends

-Abdel, Social Media Coordinator

Tune in to the YAP Podcast

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Ask the Editor

Q - I'm the marketing manager for a product-based brand. How do I balance creative/ trend content with content that sells our products? - Jenny

Hey Jenny!

As tempting as it is to think about ways to sell through your content, that's just not what content is for. Organic content is for building brand awareness. Yes, you will eventually get sales from that brand awareness, but it usually doesn't happen overnight.

So think about the context in which people are going to use your product, then create content about that.

For example, if you're selling coffee beans, your content could be around office dynamics, and your coffee appears in the background. If you have a clothing brand, have your talent (or team) wear your clothes in your trend content. Your audience is smart enough to pick up on the fact that that's your product without getting annoyed that your content is salesy.

Now if you want to drive direct sales, you should be running an ad campaign. When people see an ad, they know it's an ad, so they aren't going to get annoyed by the fact that you're trying to sell them something. Keep your content centred around brand building and leave the selling to your ads!

- Charlotte, Editor ♡

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