Seasonal displays and limited-time products are great merchandising tools for drawing consumers in and inspiring impulse purchases.

'Summerween' marked the return of pumpkin spice products, the beginning of Halloween costume planning and the welcoming of all things “spooky.”

Now in October, spooky season is full swing and trending on TikTok, and retailers can join the fun with everyday products by emphasizing the “ghost” in ghost peppers or merchandising lady finger cookies as part of a spooky display.

Pink is the new black 

The classic Halloween colors — black, orange, green and purple — are not the only colors instore bakeries should use for dessert decorating this Halloween season.

Pink and orange home goods are trending (look no further than Michaels Craft Store’s ‘Hippie Hallow’ collection and Target’s Hyde & EEK! line), and consumers will be seeking snacks to match the theme.

Content creators on TikTok have called the surge in pink décor this year the “Chappell Roan effect,” as the 2024 VMA Best New Artist winner’s song titled “Pink Pony Club” has influenced fans across the country to add pink cowboy boots and hats to their wardrobes.

For instore bakeries appealing to younger consumers, cookies and cupcakes decorated with pink and orange pumpkins are the way to go. It wouldn’t hurt to frost a pink cowboy hat on a ghost either.

3 tips for seasonal displays 

Brooklyn Park, Minn.-based Creative Displays Now! shared the following three seasonal merchandising tips in its “Guide to Changing and Updating Your Retail Displays:”

• Know the seasons your customers care about: Consider your target consumer. Is your biggest demographic a certain age, gender, marital status or religion? You can use your knowledge of your customer base to choose the most relevant retail seasons. 
• Use relevant colors, texts and graphics: Make sure your display themes align with the season. For example, if you’re creating a St. Patrick’s Day seasonal display, use green themes and words emphasizing luck to match the holiday. You’re more likely to interest consumers if your display looks relevant.
• Play on changing attitudes: Be sure to recognize consumer attitudes and how they shift with the seasons. Are customers more likely to prioritize convenience and practicality or fun and excitement? What kind of visuals will they respond to? For example, messaging around the winter holiday season emphasizes family and comfort, while summertime messaging focuses on excitement and adventure.

Super Bowl spending in 2024

In the Washington, D.C.-based National Retail Federation (NRF) 2024 Super Bowl Spending Survey, conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics in January, NRF found that 77% of consumers surveyed were watching the 2024 Super Bowl. This was a 2% increase from 2023 and the highest turnout since 2016 (77%).

Out of the five spending categories in the survey, food and beverage has consistently been between 77-82% since 2014, while the next highest category, team apparel or accessories, was only 8-13% throughout the same time period.

The expected per person spending average for consumers watching the game was $86.04, a slight increase from 2023 ($85.36), after a jump back up from 2022 ($78.92) and 2021 ($74.55).

Total Super Bowl expected spending in 2024 was $17.3 billion, following a steady upward trend after a dip in 2021 ($13.9 billion).

Pillsbury drafts ‘Mama Kelce’ for seasonal promotion

On Sept. 30, Minneapolis-based Pillsbury closed entries for its annual Bake-Off: Holiday Family Favorites Contest, which invites consumers to share their family’s favorite, easy holiday recipes that could be prepared in less than 30 minutes with 10 or fewer ingredients.

While the contest is focused on winter holiday recipes, with the winners to be announced in November, Pillsbury partnered with Donna Kelce, known as “Mama Kelce,” to tie in football season.

Mama Kelce is the mother of football players Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles (recently retired) and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs. On top of their success on the field, the Kelce family has also become famous on the internet through the brothers’ podcast, “New Heights,” and Travis’s relationship with Taylor Swift. All of that media attention made Mama Kelce a great choice for Pillsbury to draw in football fans, along with consumers who just like following their family.

“There’s something so special about a recipe that stands the test of time and brings joy to the table every holiday season,” Mama Kelce said. “I’ve been baking my family’s favorite holiday dish for decades. I can’t wait to see other families submit their best holiday dishes to this year’s Pillsbury Bake-Off contest and am looking forward to finding new inspiration for my own family holiday meals.”

Avocados and football

For the second year in a row, Avocados From Mexico (AFM) partnered with the College Football Playoff (CPF) as the Official Avocado Brand of the CFP.

The company launched its new marketing campaign for the season, ‘Always a Good Play,’ along with its first school-specific sponsorship with University of Georgia Athletics, courtesy of Learfield's Sports Marketing, AFM said.

AFM has also expanded its Disney College Football partnership to be the presenting sponsor of the ESPN Noon Halftime Show and the presenting sponsor of a new pre-game show on SEC Network, "SEC Now Live From."

AFM said the Always a Good Play campaign involves the following four components:

1. Incentives and giveaways: “College football is about to get even more exciting with the chance to win free avocados and an all-expense-paid trip to the 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship Game in Atlanta on Jan. 20. Shoppers can enter for a chance to win with every purchase from the themed bins found in stores.”

2. New, thematic packaging: “Retailers will direct shoppers' attention to Avocados From Mexico with bright, themed bins that bring the game day energy. With 80% of the avocado business based on bulk, providing consumers with larger bags and bins will encourage the concept of bulk purchasing.”

3. Big shopper savings: “When shoppers buy a bag of Avocados From Mexico, they can receive an instant $1.50 cash back by uploading a photo of their receipts via the QR code on in-store displays. The brand is also giving consumers a national repeat purchase offer, where fans can get free avocados when they shop for avocados frequently. Through its bag and bulk options, Avocados From Mexico hopes to impact shopping behavior during this season and beyond, incentivizing consumers with free goods when they purchase in multiples.”

4. Digital toolkit for stores: “Complete with logos, high-resolution assets, social posts and more, this toolkit provides retailers with everything they need to reach consumers online.”

"As the first produce brand to advertise in both the Big Game and the College Football Playoff, we are proud to have built such close ties to the game of football," said Alvaro Luque, AFM president and CEO. "It's a sport that brings people together — and there's no better feeling than rooting for your favorite team over a freshly-prepared bowl of guacamole. We know that our brand plays a big role in making football season extra special and aim to continuously find innovative ways to show shoppers how they can make their game day one to remember."

Avocado summer holiday sales records

The Mission Viejo, Calif.-based Hass Avocado Board (HAB) reported record-breaking sales highs from Cinco De Mayo, Memorial Day and Father’s Day celebrations in the second quarter.

According to HAB, the sales from the three holidays combined reached 154.6 million units, generating $191.6 million in sales. This was a $32.4 million increase in sales compared to 2023.

HAB shared three main highlights from its Avocado Holiday Retail Recap:

• “Cinco De Mayo sales and units soared, reaching four-year highs in both dollars and units. Avocado units reached 59.8M, a +2% increase versus the prior year, while dollar sales soared +22% to $68.5M. Small avocados (4046) drove unit growth during the holiday, contributing an additional +3.1M units to the category.”
• “During Memorial Day, avocado dollars climbed +18% to $61.5M in sales while units fell -2% to 47.5M units. The average holiday selling price reached $1.29/unit, a +20% increase compared to the prior year.”
• “Father’s Day avocado dollar sales secured $61.6 in sales, a four-year high and a +22% increase from the prior year while unit sales declined -1% to 47.3M units. Large avocados promotions performed well during the holiday generating the highest promotional volume lift at +20%.”

This article is an excerpt from the October 2024 issue of Supermarket Perimeter. You can read the entire Seasonal Merchandising feature and more in the digital edition here.