Spooky season in the U.S. got an early start this year. Retailers like Target, Walmart and CVS began stocking shelves with artisanal scarecrows and pumpkin spice everything as early as mid-July. And Disney World kicked off Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party on Aug. 18 – the earliest date the Halloween festivities have ever begun.  

“August is the new September,” Martin Lewison, associate professor of theme parks marketing and strategy at Farmingdale State College in New York, told the Wall Street Journal. 

Love it or hate it, the other big sign of fall is the pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks. The coffee giant says it will be dropping its fall menu – including the famed PSL – on Aug. 24. Rival coffee chain Dunkin Donuts got ahead of the game, releasing fall flavors on Aug. 16.  

For consumers, the transition to Halloween and fall products feels earlier than ever, but for the promotional products industry, experts say prep has always started mid-summer. ASI data shows that ESP searches for “Halloween” start as early as July, with a peak in September. 

Brighter Promotions offers Halloween-ready products like these premium 4-inch glow sticks.

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Brighter Promotions (asi/42016), a supplier of glow products, has always seen customers prepping for Halloween early, according to Vice President Greg French. Many distributors place orders between mid-August and mid-September, with some procrastinators waiting until October hits, he notes. “But you also have a bulk that starts as early as July, right after the Fourth of July holiday.”

The three-month window before the holiday is important for ensuring inventory levels are adequate and shipping requirements can be met, French adds. “You don’t want to time stuff to arrive August-September. That’s too late for a lot of people.” 

Halloween is an important holiday for the promo industry because of how many people celebrate it – in fact, it’s one of Brighter Promotions’ top three holidays for sales, according to French. Last year, Halloween spending in the U.S. was set to reach record-high sales of $10.6 billion, according to research from the National Retail Federation. And it’s unlikely that number will trend lower in 2023, given the holiday’s early start.

For the promo industry, Halloween-related products tend to fall into two categories: candy and light-up. Glow products like LED necklaces and LED masks are great items to get employees or clients in the spirit without all the hassle. Plus, glow products are not just fun for kids, but also an appreciated safety measure for trick-or-treaters out in the dark.  

Branded tote bags are another smart idea for the season. Clients can fill a reusable tote with candy, pamphlets, pens and marketing info for recipients who will not only appreciate the thoughtful gift, but can reuse the bag for trick-or-treating or seasonal shopping.