On October 4, 2018, the USA Today business section published an article about the rising popularity in Halloween and how this gives small businesses the potential to bring in more customers during this holiday season.

According to the article, adult spending on Halloween has more than doubled from $4 billion to $9 billion since 2009. Additionally, Halloween has become an increasingly popular topic on social media, particularly Twitter, through the creating of “spooky” memes.

*This is my personal favorite wholesome Halloween meme*

This is positive coverage for the Halloween season and as a public relations professional for small businesses in State College, I think it would be extremely beneficial for local businesses to capitalize on this trend.

State College has the perfect audience for interest in Halloween – Families and College students. I would argue that children and college students alike love to dress up for this season.

Local businesses can attract customers by decorating the store, offering a bowl of free Halloween candy for people passing by, and even offering Halloween themed deals or discounts. They can even go as far as turning their business into a haunted house for a night, selling tickets to anyone interested. The city of State College can also hold a large event, blocking off Allen street and allowing businesses to set up tents along the street. They can hold a costume contest, pumpkin carving/painting stations, and create a festival that would attract both families and college students.

I love Halloween, and I would love local businesses to get into the Halloween spirit. This would be a great opportunity for business and for the community at large.