# Halloween ad campaign ideas

> Halloween falls on Saturday 31 October 2026 and Sunday 31 October 2027. Ad ideas for cafes, parks, kids and party brands, Meta's rule on shocking content and a plan.
- **Author**: Marxx
- **Published**: 2026-11-05
- **Category**: Festivals
- **URL**: https://marxx.ai/library-campaigns/halloween-ad-ideas

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Halloween is **Saturday 31 October 2026** and **Sunday 31 October 2027**. In India and the Gulf it works as a local, city-level moment for cafes, venues, kids' activities and party brands, so run a short, playful campaign and wrap it up before the Diwali shopping starts.

## The dates

Halloween is on 31 October every year, the evening before All Hallows' Day ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween)). In 2026 that is a Saturday, and Dubai venues list Halloween events on Saturday 31 October ([Gulf News](https://gulfnews.com/lifestyle/from-saw-at-motiongate-to-a-qe2-party-where-to-celebrate-halloween-in-dubai-this-year-1.500701504), updated 7 October 2026; checked 2026-10-20).

The same Gulf News list shows who is running Halloween programmes in Dubai in 2026: LEGOLAND Dubai (to 2 November), MOTIONGATE Dubai's Fright Nights IX (to 8 November) and adult-only nights on the 31st. In India, treat it as a niche for big-city venues and families. If you sell in the Gulf, check local norms in each country and ask a local reviewer to read your creative.

In 2026, Dhanteras is Friday 6 November, six days later ([Dhanteras plan](/campaigns/dhanteras-ad-ideas)). Festive shopping is already under way.

## Meta's rule on shocking content

Meta's ad standards say ads must not contain shocking, sensational or excessively violent content. They bar images of internal organs, bones or muscles, and weapons pointed at the viewer ([Meta](https://transparency.meta.com/policies/ad-standards/objectionable-content/sensational-content); checked 2026-10-20). So skip blood and gore. Keep it playful: pumpkins, costumes, sweets, silly ghosts.

## A ten-day plan

| When | What to run |
|---|---|
| 10 days before | Event tickets, table bookings, costume and décor offers. Name the city |
| 5 days before | Last orders for delivery. The early-bird price ends |
| 1 day before | Same-day delivery and last-minute costumes |
| 31 October | Event-night content, stories, walk-in offers |
| 1 November | Switch Halloween ads off. Move to Diwali plans |

## Ideas by category

| Category | Idea |
|---|---|
| Cafes and restaurants | Themed menus and drinks, with table bookings |
| Parks and kids' venues | Costume entry, shows, family tickets |
| Fashion | "Costume under INR 999" or "under AED 99" |
| Event organisers | Ticketed nights with early-bird tiers |
| Kids' brands | Treat boxes and craft kits |
| Home | Lights and décor, with delivery dates |

## A ticket-sale example

Say you host a Halloween night and sell tickets at INR 800. Each guest costs you INR 350 in food and staff, so the margin is INR 450 and your break-even ROAS is 800 / 450 = 1.8. You spend INR 30,000 on ads and they bring 90 buyers. Revenue is 90 x INR 800 = INR 72,000, so ROAS is 72,000 / 30,000 = 2.4. You are above break-even, and your cost per ticket is 30,000 / 90 = INR 333. Read [break-even ROAS](/glossary/break-even-roas) for the method.

## Mistakes to avoid

- Gore or weapon imagery, which Meta can reject
- Targeting a whole country for a one-city event. Name the city and use a radius around the venue
- Running Halloween creative into Diwali week, when buyers want festive, not spooky
- A single ad for ten days. See [how to fix ad fatigue](/guides/how-to-fix-ad-fatigue)
- Ads aimed at children. Aim at parents

For a general festive checklist, see [how to plan a festive sale campaign](/guides/how-to-plan-a-festive-sale-campaign).

Marxx has an AI search over 100M+ ads, back to 2022. Use its [competitor tracking](/features/competitor-tracking) to see how cafes, venues and party brands ran earlier Halloween ads. We make Marxx.

## FAQ

### What date is Halloween in 2026?

Saturday 31 October 2026. In 2027 it is a Sunday.

### Does Halloween work for ads in India and the Gulf?

It works for specific venues and brands in big cities, such as cafes, parks, party organisers and kids' brands. It is not a national shopping festival, so test in one city first.

### Can I show scary images in a Meta ad?

Keep them playful. Meta bars shocking, sensational or excessively violent content, including images of internal organs and weapons pointed at the viewer.

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- [More Festivals articles](https://marxx.ai/library-campaigns/category/festivals)
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