Reese's Hunts for the 'Trick-or-Treatiest Street in America'
Updated: 6 days ago
TL;DR: Reese's has launched a multichannel Halloween campaign to crown America's 'trick-or-treatiest street', led by a celebrity 'Halloween Council' and a reward for the winning block.
Reese's is turning Halloween into a hyper-local contest. Hershey's Reese's has launched a multichannel campaign to crown America's 'trick-or-treatiest street', enlisting a celebrity 'Halloween Council' led by Christina Ricci and Kathy Najimy, plus creators.
The campaign
The brand analysed top trick-or-treating streets — screening around 150 of them — and will reward a winning block with a Reese's Halloween party. The effort spans social, creator and PR activations.
It is a classic seasonal ownership play: pick a cultural moment the brand already dominates, then build a participation mechanic that generates local stories and earned reach.
Marketing Minute's read
This is textbook category ownership. Reese's is synonymous with Halloween candy, so rather than buy awareness it is manufacturing a reason for communities to talk about it — the trick-or-treatiest street is a frame people want to claim.
The celebrity-plus-creator combination is the modern version of a seasonal ad: famous faces for reach and credibility, creators for authenticity and feed-native content. The hyper-local hook is what makes it shareable.
What brands should take from it
If your brand owns a moment, don't just advertise in it — build a participation mechanic around it. A contest that rewards a specific community turns a national campaign into thousands of local stories, which is how seasonal brands earn attention without simply outspending rivals.
Quick FAQ
What is Reese's 'trick-or-treatiest street' campaign?
A multichannel Halloween effort to crown America's best trick-or-treating street, led by a celebrity Halloween Council and rewarding the winning block with a party.
Why does hyper-local seasonal marketing work?
It turns a national campaign into thousands of shareable local stories, letting a category-owning brand earn attention and participation rather than simply buying awareness.
Reese's already owns Halloween, so it isn't buying awareness — it's giving communities a reason to talk. A contest that rewards one specific street turns a national push into thousands of local stories. That's how seasonal brands earn attention instead of just outspending the aisle. — Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing
If your brand owns a cultural moment, build a participation mechanic in it — local stories beat national spend for seasonal reach.
Which cultural moment does your brand own, and are you advertising in it or inviting people into it?
If you would like to know more about this topic, please contact us on danieln@merxmarketing.co.uk
Sources: Marketing Dive, Muse by Clios, Hershey/StockTitan.
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Written by Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing Ltd and Marketing Minute
