From the sweet taste of candy to heart-stopping jump scares, Halloween is often viewed as a sensorial occasion best celebrated in the flesh. But for brands interested in scaling the reach of their campaigns and budget dollars, and testing the waters of the metaverse, digital holiday activations present a viable option. Chipotle was the first to experiment in the space with last year’s “Boorito” experience on Roblox. But as the adoption of immersive digital technologies continues its upward trajectory, more consumer brands have turned to metaverse activations to mark spooky season.
CHEETOS
In a bid to maintain its positioning as a “culture-first” brand, Cheetos is giving fans a chance to cause some virtual mischief with its Chesterville metaverse activation. Located on Meta’s Horizon Worlds platform, the VR experience invites users to complete tasks around the fictional town to earn points on the “mischief-meter” using their “Mischief Makers” tools, including Chester’s wand, to brand the neighborhood; Cheetle (orange Cheetos dust) paper towels to TP the neighbors’ yard; Flamin’ Hot Cheetos to get a speed boost; and Mac-O-Lanterns to trap other players in cheesy gobs of its new Cheetos Mac ‘N Cheese product.
The ultimate goal is to access the spooky mansion at the top of Cheetos Hill. Once inside, fans get a chance to vote for their favorite “ghost of Cheetos’ past” and help bring a no-longer-available flavor back from the dead (Flamin’ Hot Chipotle Ranch, Flamin’ Hot Pepper Puffs or Nashville Hot). Users can also unlock Cheetle Codes from Cheetos’ social media accounts to uncover more ways to get ahead in the game.
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URBAN DECAY
Paris Hilton, the self-proclaimed “queen of crypto,” is using her Paris World metaverse realm on Roblox to bring “Cryptoween” to beauty and fashion fans in partnership with Urban Decay. The activation is available to explore through Nov. 1 and includes three rooms themed around Urban Decay products: the 24/7 Eyeliner, 24/7 Moondusts and Vice Lip Bond. Users can choose from 10 different costumes based on Hilton’s past Halloween looks and add matching makeup looks created by Urban Decay. They can then strut their stuff in a virtual runway competition for a chance to be featured on the leaderboard. Hilton is slated to make multiple appearances at Cryptoween via her avatar in the virtual world’s selfie booth.
TCL ELECTRONICS
Consumer electronics company TCL is offering its first metaverse activation with a Halloween-themed #Fun_Tastic Party in Roblox where it’s encouraging consumers to create their own immersive experiences. After choosing a personalized Halloween costume for their avatar, users are unleashed to explore TCL’s “Dream House” featuring a variety of rooms. Each one includes a Halloween mini-game or experience connected to a TCL product, along with spooky decorations and eerie lighting. And a virtual photo booth offers users a chance to share their metaverse experience on social.
HOT TOPIC
Hot Topic just got a little extra goth. In its first foray into the metaverse, with help from Super League Gaming, the retailer dropped its Halloween Forever Collection on Roblox. The apparel includes exclusive avatar items like sunglasses and cosplay hats, and virtual replicas of two Halloween clothing items the brand is selling IRL. Roblox players can access the 10 Halloween-themed Hot Topic designs in-game within three different titles, or in the Roblox Avatar Shop. And the strategy seems to be working: The three games offering Hot Topic’s virtual collection have accumulated nearly 3 billion visits thus far.
