The H3 Podcast is a show on YouTube featuring Ethan Klein, his wife Hila Klein, and his crew members, who all talk about what is popular throughout the week with topics ranging from YouTube drama, real world news, and pop culture.
The popular podcast channel released a Halloween special of H3TV Are You Faster Than Michael Myers? Halloween Special where Ethan, Hila, and the crew dressed up in Halloween costumes with topics related to the holiday discussed; however in the segment “Is The Halloween Spirit Dying?” crew member, Zach Louis, expressed how Halloween doesn’t feel as magically due to changes from the pandemic. As a student in the communications field, there is much more depth to this ongoing issue.
Holiday Marketing
Louis expressed in the podcast how the pandemic has changed a lot about the holiday, and described going to a Halloween store doesn’t feel the same anymore. “I feel like Covid has changed a lot,” said Zach. One of the issues I would tie together with this issue is the lack of memorable marketing leading up to it. I remember vividly all of the advertisements I would see growing up; marketing during holidays brings in not just sales, but memories that increase the spirit of those who celebrate. As someone in the field of communications, it is important to create advertising strategies that the public will remember; this is not just for the wholesome element of marketing, but to create a brand that people will remember with the purpose of building revenue.
Creative ways of marketing during a holiday are to build upon a message that a brand wants to provide to current and future consumers through music, imagery, and clever storytelling within advertisements. Halloween is a time for brands to create new ways to attract customers through commercials, and the best way to do that is by producing something unforgettable.
Trick-or-Treat Locations
The spirit of Halloween, specifically the Trick-or-Treating fun, is often due to location. “You have to go to certain neighborhoods,” Ethan said. Klein described to Zach about the neighborhood that the couple take their children to Trick-or-Treat being filled with the holiday magic that Louis desires.
Growing up, I lived in a neighborhood that didn’t receive many trick-or-treaters, but that never stopped me from getting into the Halloween spirit. When I would go Trick-or-Treating, I would travel to neighborhoods that had more traction for those participating in the event. These locations often had an assortment of enjoyable decorations, a wide variety of different costumes from other kids, and way more candy offered. By going to more popular neighborhoods during Halloween, I was able to create wonderful memories associated with the holiday.
In recent years, I have noticed there has been more Trunk-or-Treat events marketed as a safer alternative for the holiday, and has resulted in a drastic decrease in participation for Trick-or-Treat. To combat this issue, residents, who are able to do so, should invest in more decorative attractions to their homes as a way to market themselves better to other families in the neighborhood.
In the world of communications, marketing oneself for Halloween is key for a better turn out, which stated previous, I believe has been proven beneficial for neighborhoods that have offered creativity and an abundance of candy. These efforts have resulted in more attraction to these locations around my neighborhood.
The Side Effects of Growing Up
Holiday magic seems to diminish as we continue to grow into adulthood, and this is what is expressed on the podcast episode. Ethan reassures Zach that it is normal to feel like holiday spirit dies as we age, but despite this, having kids can revive that same spirit. “The magic wears but when you have kids the magic is born anew,” said Klein.
Ethan’s words resonate with me as someone who has experienced a loss of holiday spirit as I grew up. From personal experience, I agree that the holiday magic has revival when more kids are born into the family. Teaching children the traditions of holidays and to experience celebrating with them has resulted in my own rebirth of holiday spirit. Educating children on holiday traditions is within the field of communications by passing on the information of festive celebration which is witnessed throughout numerous cultures for thousands of years.
“The magic wears but when you have kids the magic is born anew”- Ethan Klein
The Kleins and Louis had brought up a great discussion on the spirit of Halloween, and as a student in the field of communications, this topic is within that field of study. Communications is a broad field, but has different sections within that relate back to Halloween spirit. Despite the looming anxiety of questions relating to the spirit of Halloween dying, if there is a continuation within the field of communications then this should put ease on the subject.