Oct 28: What happens when a ghost can no longer scare anyone? For Tangy Tantrik, it’s a full-blown career crisis! Once known for sending people running, he now finds himself on the receiving end of indifference. But just when he thinks his days of fright are over, Candyman comes along with a great new plan - this Halloween, the goal isn’t to scare people away, but to bring them closer. Bringing the campaign to life, Tangy Tantrik discovers that his attempts to frighten people can take an unexpected turn, transforming his spooky antics into playful moments of connection.
‘Darr sirf bhagane ke liye nahi, logon ko paas lane ke liye bhi hota hai.’ This thought lies at the heart of Candyman’s A Desi Halloween campaign, which turns the conventional idea of fear on its head.
Commenting on the campaign, Subash Balar, Vice President and Business Head – Chocolates, Coffee and Confectionery & NCD, Foods Division, ITC Ltd., said,
“With Candyman, we see an opportunity to build on the growing popularity of Halloween in India due to its relevance to the confectionery category. By understanding how Indian consumers are embracing and adapting global celebrations, we are bringing a distinctly desi spin with this campaign that’s closely linked to the brand personality of celebrating playful mischief.”
As Halloween finds new expressions in India, the occasion is creating opportunities for consumers to experiment with costumes, playful pranks, spooky storytelling and a little harmless mischief with friends and family.
Commenting on the creative approach, Rakesh Menon, Chief Creative Experience Officer, Ulka, part of BBDO Group, India, said,
“Horror has traditionally been about scaring people away. We loved the thought of turning that on its head and making horror something that brings people together. Telling this story through an old school horror villain who painfully discovers that he can no longer scare people anymore felt like a wonderfully entertaining way of bringing the idea alive.”
Taking the campaign beyond the film, Candyman will bring its Desi Halloween theme to life through initiatives across digital and physical touchpoints. The brand has partnered with quick-commerce platform Zepto to offer specially designed spooky masks featuring Desi Halloween characters, adding a playful element to the trick-or-treat experience.
The campaign will also feature an exclusive SKU on select quick-commerce platform and tap into the popularity of get-ready-with-me content, celebrating the excitement of dressing up for the spooky season. Complemented by billboards and on-ground experiences, these initiatives will extend the campaign beyond the screen, bringing its distinctly desi take on Halloween to consumers.
This Halloween, Candyman gives darr a new role, bringing a playful, distinctly desi twist to the festivities, with the sweet thought of bringing people together.